Dundrearies

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of long, sideburn-like facial hair worn by men, often exaggerated for a flamboyant appearance
2. A playful term for bushy sideburns that extend down the cheeks, sometimes associated with a Victorian or theatrical look
3. A humorous reference to exaggerated facial hair styles, popularized in the 19th century, emphasizing character and flamboyance

Etymology: The name comes from a fictional man, not a physical feature. "Dundreary" was the name of Lord Dundreary, a foolish, eccentric aristocrat in Tom Taylor's comedy "Our American Cousin" (1858), a play that became famous because Abraham Lincoln was watching it when he was shot. The character was played by E. A. Sothern, whose long, bushy side-whiskers were so memorable that audiences and the press began calling them "dundrearies" after the role. The noun is therefore a plural, the form of "dundreary" used for the whiskers themselves. The fashion caught on, and the whiskers soon became more closely associated with Victorian gentlemen and the stage than with the comic lord who started the name.

Synonyms: long sideburns