gilbertian

• Relatif au style de W.S. Gilbert ou caractéristique de celui-ci, notamment par son humour paradoxal, son inversion des situations, son absurdité ou son excentricité grotesque.

Relating to or characteristic of the style of W.S. Gilbert, especially in being whimsically paradoxical, topsy-turvy, or absurdly humorous.

1. Relating to W.S. Gilbert's styleC2formalbritishart

   Characteristic of or pertaining to the distinctive, witty, and often satirical style of the English dramatist William S. Gilbert, known for his comic operas with W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan.

   gilbertien

   • The playwright's dialogue was notably Gilbertian in its clever wordplay and absurd situations.
   • Her sense of humor had a Gilbertian twist, mixing sharp satire with lighthearted nonsense.
   • The opera's plot was pure Gilbertian invention, full of paradoxes and unexpected turns.

2. Wildly comic and improbableC2informalbritishart

   Describing something that is fanciful, ridiculous, or farcical in the manner of a Gilbert and Sullivan opera, often involving improbable coincidences and comedic chaos.

   burlesque à la Gilbert et Sullivan

   • The entire election campaign turned into a Gilbertian spectacle of misunderstandings and farce.
   • His explanation was so Gilbertian that no one could tell if he was joking or serious.
   • The movie's chain of events was comically Gilbertian, with each mishap more absurd than the last.

   Synonymesabsurdcomicalfarcicalludicrousmadcappreposterousridiculousslapstickzany

   Antonymesbelievableconvincingplausiblerealisticserioussober