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
