Definition of Falstaff

1. Noun. A dissolute character in Shakespeare's plays.

Exact synonyms: Sir John Falstaff
Generic synonyms: Character, Fictional Character, Fictitious Character
Derivative terms: Falstaffian

Definition of Falstaff

1. Proper noun. A fat and jolly knight. The character was invented by William Shakespeare for his plays ''Henry IV'' (parts 1 and 2) and also appeared in ''The Merry Wives of Windsor''. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Lexicographical Neighbors of Falstaff

Falklands War
Falkner
Fall
Fall River
Fall of Man
Falla
Fallopian
Fallopian tube
Fallopian tubes
Fallot
Fallot's syndrome
Fallot's tetralogy
Fallot's triad
Falmouth
Falstaff (current term)
Falstaffian
Falun Gong
Fam
Fanagalo
Fananas cell
Fanconi's anaemia
Fanconi's anemia
Fanconi's pancytopenia
Fanconi's syndrome
Fanconi syndrome
Fand
Fang
Fannia
Fannie

Literary usage of Falstaff

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. Modern Music and Musicians by Louis Charles Elson (1918)
"Falstaff Lyric Comedy in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi. Text by Boito. THE first scene is laid in the Garter Inn at Windsor, England. ..."

2. The Victrola Book of the Opera: Stories of the Operas with Illustrations by Samuel Holland Rous, Victor Talking Machine Company (1921)
"BARDOLPH PISTOL followers i of Falstaff COMIC opera in three acts. ... The work opens at the Garter Inn, where Falstaff^ potbellied,vainglorious, ..."

3. The Library of Wit and Humor, Prose and Poetry: Selected from the Literature by Ainsworth Rand Spofford, Rufus Edmonds Shapley (1894)
"The title of the original sketch, 'Syr John Falstaff,' etc.,—the ' Merry Wives ' being at first considered subordinate attractions only,—and the delineation ..."

4. Library of the World's Best Literature: Ancient and Modern by Edward Cornelius Towne (1897)
"Falstaff—A plague of all cowards, I say, and a vengeance too! marry, and amen! ... Falstaff—You rogue, here's lime in this sack too; there is nothing but ..."

5. The Gentleman's Magazine (1887)
"and “The Merry Wives of Windsor,” in both of which Falstaff figures. All commentators, of course, must notice the fact that in the first draft, ..."

6. The Victor Book of the Opera: Stories of One Hundred Operas with Five by Samuel Holland Rous, Victor Talking Machine Company (1913)
"Characters and Original Metropolitan Cast SIR JOHN Falstaff Baritone Maurel ... The music of Falstaff denotes in all things almost the antithesis of the ..."

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