SKIP TO CONTENT

Balzacian

The literary adjective Balzacian is good for describing writing that's similar to the plays and novels of the French writer Honoré de Balzac.

A Balzacian story is realistic, emphasizing tiny details to capture a scene or setting. It might also, as Balzac did in novels including "Le Père Goriot," or "Old Goriot," use a cast of dozens of characters, some of them taken from earlier works. Some classic Balzacian themes include society, class, and status — in Balzac's case: particularly the way these social structures worked in nineteenth century Paris.

Definitions of Balzacian
  1. adjective
    of or relating to Honore de Balzac or his writings
Cite this entry
Style:
MLA
  • MLA
  • APA
  • Chicago

Copy citation
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘Balzacian'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
Word Family