Mozartian

Part of speech: adjective, noun

Definitions

1. Having the graceful, elegant melodic style and balanced clarity associated with the music of the composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
2. Resembling or evoking the music of Mozart, with its light, lucid textures and refined classical poise
3. Of or pertaining to the composer Mozart or to works composed in the manner that made him famous

Etymology: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Salzburg in 1756 and died in Vienna in 1791, so the adjective built from his surname is a simple formation rather than a story of its own. English took the surname "Mozart" and added the suffix "-ian," which means "from, like, or relating to," to make a word meaning "in the manner of Mozart" or "characteristic of his music." The same suffix appears in many words formed from proper names, such as "Shakespearean," "Darwinian" and "Dickensian," which all follow this pattern. Because the suffix can also form nouns, "Mozartian" works both as an adjective describing something graceful, elegant or melodically clear, and as a noun for a person who admires or resembles the composer.