Rimbaud

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A French poet known for his innovative and influential contributions to literature during the late 19th century
2. A prominent figure in the Symbolist movement, celebrated for his vivid imagery and radical approach to poetic form
3. An iconic writer whose works, characterized by experimental style, greatly impacted modern poetry and inspired future generations

Etymology: Arthur Rimbaud was a French poet born in 1854 in Charleville, and his name is now used as a common noun for a figure who is brilliant, rebellious and short-lived, though the word itself was never a coinage in any dictionary sense. It comes straight from the French surname, so the story of the word is really the story of the man who carried it. Rimbaud wrote most of his important verse before he turned twenty-one, then abandoned poetry altogether and spent his later years trading and travelling in Africa. The source fact is simple: the word is taken from French, where "Rimbaud" is a proper name. Borrowing a surname as a common noun is a familiar English habit, seen in words like "Bowdlerize" and "sandwich," and the term here follows the same path, applied to a poet rather than an earl or an editor.

Synonyms: poet, writer, literary figure