Napoleonic

American  

[nuh-poh-lee-on-ik] / nəˌpoʊ liˈɒn ɪk /

adjective

1. pertaining to, resembling, or suggestive of Napoleon I, or, less often, Napoleon III, or their dynasty.

   the Napoleonic era; a Napoleonic attitude toward one's employees.

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Napoleonic British  

/ nəˌpəʊlɪˈɒnɪk /

adjective

1. relating to or characteristic of Napoleon I or his era

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Other Word Forms

• Napoleonically adverb
• post-Napoleonic adjective
• pre-Napoleonic adjective

Etymology

Origin of Napoleonic

First recorded in 1860–65; Napoleon + -ic

Example Sentences

But it was quickly placed in the storeroom and was for a long time "unknown to all specialists and enthusiasts of the Napoleonic era," said Deldicque.

From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026

For years, Louis avoided picking up War & Peace, set during the Napoleonic wars of the early 1800s, given its heft.

From BBC • Nov. 14, 2025

Appeared in the October 20, 2025, print edition as 'A Napoleonic Smash-and-Grab'.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 19, 2025

The war here is the Napoleonic War with France.

From Slate • Jul. 21, 2025

Monge’s work was so important to the military that much of it was made into a state secret by the revolutionary government and by the Napoleonic government that succeeded it soon afterward.

From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife