Meaning & use
Barbermonger
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An archaic, insulting term for a foppish man overly concerned with his grooming and appearance, especially one who frequents the barber excessively.
See it in a sentence
Shakespeare's Kent hurls "barber-monger" as an insult at the vain, overdressed Oswald in "King Lear."
The satirical pamphlet mocked the young dandy as a shallow barbermonger obsessed with his own reflection.
A note on using this word
The word is best known from Shakespeare's "King Lear," where it is used as a colorful insult mocking a character's vanity and obsession with fine appearance.
Words with a similar meaning
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