What does "victorian" mean?
A person born in or living in the Victorian period, or exhibiting characteristics of that period.
Victorian
/vɪkˈtɔː.ɹɪ.ən/ adj, noun
adj, noun ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A person born in or living in the Victorian period, or exhibiting characteristics of that period.
- Grammar: victorian is listed as adj, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: antediluvian, antiquated, antique, archaic.
- Useful contrasts: contemporary, edwardian, minimalist.
- Usage evidence: The apartment was furnished in the Victorian style.
How to use "victorian"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "victorian" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "victorian" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "victorian" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "victorian" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "victorian" is acting as adj, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "antediluvian" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "victorian", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A person born in or living in the Victorian period, or exhibiting characteristics of that period.
"What a perfect Victorian you are, Charles. I should like to keep you in a glass case."
- 2 A native or inhabitant of the state of Victoria, Australia.
- 3 A native or inhabitant of the city of Victoria, capital of British Columbia, Canada. Canada
- 4 a person who lived during the reign of Victoria wordnet
- 5 An item of furniture from that period.
Show 1 more definition
- 6 A house built in the Victorian architectural style. US
"The commercial resurgence brought about by the area's changing tastes is reflected in midtown's conglomeration of refurbished Victorians, apartments, specialty shops, offices, corner groceries, restaurants, single-family homes, and bed and breakfast inns."
Adjective
- 1 Of or relating to the reign of Queen Victoria from 1837 to 1901, or that period.
"From the platforms at Wapping or Rotherhithe you can see the tunnel fleetingly illuminated as the trains approach; it looks so incredibly Victorian that you expect to see Jack the Ripper loitering between the arches."
- 2 Of, from or relating to the state of Victoria, Australia. not-comparable
"Up to 26 properties are believed lost in Victorian bushfires."
- 3 Of, from or relating to the city of Victoria, capital of British Columbia, Canada. Canada, not-comparable
- 4 Of or relating to the culture or social conditions of that period.; In a situation of poverty and social injustice; Dickensian.
"In some cases, teachers reported being aware of pupils living in "Victorian conditions", of youngsters coming to school with no socks or coat and of more families depending on food banks."
- 5 Of or relating to the culture or social conditions of that period.; Of the style of architecture or furnishings of that period.
"Unhappily, however, all that remains of Cherhill's claim to an old manor house is a rather cold ungabled building, blue-slated in hard ruled lines, and a porch which might have been transplanted from a late Victorian house."
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- 6 Of or displaying the (supposed) ideals or standards of morality of that period; conservative; also, old-fashioned, out-of-date. figuratively
"“I’m asking you your intentions, damn it!” said Wimsey, “and if that’s not Victorian enough, I don’t know what is.”"
Adjective
- 1 typical of the moral standards or conduct of the age of Queen Victoria wordnet
- 2 exaggeratedly proper wordnet
- 3 of or relating to Queen Victoria of Great Britain or to the age in which she ruled wordnet
Example
"The apartment was furnished in the Victorian style."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "victorian"?
Common synonyms include: antediluvian, antiquated, antique, archaic, bluenose, briton.
How do you use "victorian" in a sentence?
The apartment was furnished in the Victorian style.
How do you pronounce "victorian"?
Pronounced /vɪkˈtɔː.ɹɪ.ən/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Victoria + -an (suffix forming adjectives and agent nouns), from the name of Queen Victoria (1819–1901), monarch of the United Kingdom.
Etymology 2
From Victoria (“state of Australia in the southeastern part of the continent”) + -an (suffix forming adjectives and agent nouns); the state was named after Queen Victoria when it was established in 1851.
Etymology 3
From Victoria (“capital of British Columbia, Canada”) + -an (suffix forming adjectives and agent nouns); incorporated as a city in 1862, the settlement which preceded the city was named Fort Victoria after Queen Victoria in 1843.