n. 1. An affectedly elegant literary style of the late 1500s and early 1600s, characterized by elaborate alliteration, antitheses, and similes. 2. Affected elegance of language. [After Euphues, a character in Euphues, the Anatomy of Wit and Euphues and his England by John Lyly, from Greek euphuēs, shapely : eu-, eu- + phuein, to grow, bring forth; see bheuə- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] euphu·ist n. eu′phu·istic, eu′phu·isti·cal adj. eu′phu·isti·cal·ly adv. |
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