Meaning & use

Barbermonger

noun·Advanced

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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

fopdandy

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