Edwardian

American  

[ed-wawr-dee-uhn, -wahr-] / ɛdˈwɔr di ən, -ˈwɑr- /

adjective

1. of or relating to the reign of Edward VII.

2. reflecting the opulence or self-satisfaction characteristic of this reign.

3. noting or pertaining to the castle architecture of Edward I.

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noun

1. a person who lived during the reign of Edward VII.

Edwardian British  

/ ɛdˈwɔːdɪən /

adjective

1. denoting, relating to, or having the style of life, architecture, dress, etc, current in Britain during the reign of Edward VII

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noun

1. a person who lived during the reign of Edward VII

Other Word Forms

• Edwardianism noun

Etymology

Origin of Edwardian

1860–65; Edward (VII, I) + -ian

Example Sentences

The solid, stolid, self-satisfied Edwardian England that had seemed so deserving of his lashes was itself now wounded, and something in Galsworthy shifted accordingly.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

Edwardian author Kenneth Grahame's story of boating, caravanning and picnicking and the hi-jinks of a cross-dressing amphibian is also an ode to the English landscape.

From BBC • Feb. 13, 2026

“This Clara is dealing with the constraints of Edwardian London that doesn’t really allow much space for a young woman,” says choreographer and English National Ballet artistic director Aaron S. Watkin.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 16, 2025

In the aftermath of the two world wars, Coleridge-Taylor’s music—like that of other late Victorian and Edwardian composers—was seen as old-fashioned and insufficiently complex.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 21, 2025

Just then, Nemo walked in, wearing an Edwardian waistcoat, pleated black pants, a starched white shirt, and a cravat patterned in blue and gray.

From "The 57 Bus" by Dashka Slater