The Picture of Dorian Gray Glossary

Glossary of Terms

Adonis

a figure from Greek mythology, a mortal said to represent the pinnacle of physical beauty and athletic perfection

ague

coldness, or shivering

antinomianism

heretical Christian belief holding that predestination frees people from morality

asphodel

a white flower that symbolizes death, as ancient mythology holds that it covers the Elysian fields

Bacchante

a priestess of Bacchus, the Roman god of wine ("Dionysus" in Greek), whose worship may take the form of drunken revelry or murderous blood lust

beater

a man responsible for driving game into a hunter's line of sight by beating plants and bushes with a stick

bismuth

a metal-based whitening powder used primarily as theatrical make-up

Blue-book (or "English Blue-book")

a book listing the names and addresses of important people, such as government officials; like a selective telephone directory

broughams

covered carriages used as cabs for the wealthy in Victorian London

Caliban

the uneducated, brutish savage enslaved by Prospero in Shakespeare's The Tempest

cassone

a small chest, or strongbox

chaudfroid

meat or fish served in gelatin; a French delicacy

cope

a broad, rounded cloak worn by priests and other members of the clergy during church processions

dandy

a word used amongst members of British high society in Wilde's day to describe a fashionable young man with effeminate affectations

doctrinaire

a derogatory term for an intellectual who is doggedly devoted to the theories and ideas of others

dowager

a rich widow

ennui

the French word for boredom

ensconced

settled securely; surrounded by

esprit

the French word for liveliness, spiritedness, or sprightliness

fop

see "dandy"

frangipanni

a strong, exotic perfume

gamekeeper

a man employed by an estate to care for the birds and other animals that are kept for hunting purposes

Ganymede

a figure from Greek mythology; a beautiful young boy chosen by Zeus to be the cup-bearer of the gods

Grosvenor

mentioned by Lord Henry in conversation with Basil, it refers to The Grosvenor Gallery, which in Wilde's day was a newer, more progressive venue for art than The Royal Academy

hautboy

oboe

hedonism

a doctrine from ancient Greece stating that the pursuit of pleasure is life's greatest aim; Lord Henry's form of "new hedonism," a popular term during Wilde's life, was a variation on this idea, holding that the pursuit of new sensations through art takes precedence above all else

high stocks

high, stiff collars worn by fashionable men

idolatrous

adoring something excessively, bordering on or exceeding worship

iniquities

transgressions or sins

jarvies

nineteenth century slang for coach drivers

languid

nonchalant, apathetic, and lacking energy; Wilde often uses this word to describe the mannerisms of his characters, especially Lord Henry

lithe

flexible; supple

Louis-Quinze

an ornate style of fashion and furniture named after Louis XV of France

moue

a pout or frown

nacre

pearl, or mother-of-pearl

narcissism

the love of one's own appearance; named for Narcissus, a figure from Greek mythology who fell in love with his reflection in a pond, was drowned when he tried to embrace it, and was transformed into a narcissus flower.

nocturne

a musical composition with a dark, reflective, dreamy atmosphere

obelisk

a tall, rectangular object that tapers to a point at the top

opium den

a place, generally located in a slum, where opium is bought and smoked, usually along with other illicit activities, such as prostitution and gambling. Opium use was common among artists of the romantic period, and retained its popularity well into Wilde's day

paradox

a true statement that seems to contradict itself

parseme

a French word meaning strewn or speckled

precis

a French word indicating a synopsis of important facts

protege

a French word referring to a person under the tutelage of a master or mentor; an apprentice

salon

a French word for "living room" that is used to denote a regular social gathering of artists and intellectuals

sudaria

a highly decorative, fringed ceremonial handkerchief

The Academy

mentioned by Lord Henry in the first chapter, The Academy refers to The Royal Academy of Arts, one of Britain's oldest societies of fine art. The Academy was known for its support of conservative taste at the time of the novel's publication

The Bristol

a fancy, expensive London hotel

victoria

a small, covered carriage