Gongorism

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. An excessively elaborate literary or rhetorical style characterized by complex metaphors, wordplay, and obscure language that prioritizes ornament over clarity
2. A manner of writing or speaking that employs intricate imagery and convoluted syntax to achieve a highly decorative but often impenetrable effect
3. An ornamental approach to language featuring dense symbolism, intricate conceits, and deliberately obscure phrasing that emphasizes aesthetic complexity

Etymology: Luis de Góngora was a Spanish poet of the late 16th and early 17th centuries, and his name gave English a word for a style of writing he never intended to found. His verse was dense with Latinate syntax, inverted word order, classical allusions and elaborate metaphor, and it drew fierce criticism from rivals who thought it obscure and showy. The movement that grew up around his work became known as culteranismo, and the term "gongorism" follows the same pattern as many English words formed from a person's name plus "-ism": it names a manner of writing associated with him. The formation is straightforward. "Góngora" is the surname, and "-ism" is the suffix that turns a person's name into the name of a doctrine, practice or style. Once attached to the poet, the suffix produced a label for any writing that imitated his ornate, compressed manner, usually with a note of disapproval. The word is therefore a modern coinage built from a Spanish name and an English suffix, rather than a term with an ancient pedigree.

Synonyms: affectation, precioseness

Antonyms: simplicity, plainness