Swiftian
/ˈswɪf.ti.ən/noun
Relating to Jonathan Swift or characteristic of his satirical style and ideas.
Did you know?Swiftian satire often disguises moral outrage as calm logic, most famously turning political cruelty into the horrifyingly rational proposal of eating infants.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
Proto-Germanic
*swiftaz
“Moving quickly; fast”
Old English
Old English
swift
“Moving rapidly or with great speed”
Middle English
Middle English
swift
“Fast; quick, and also used as a byname or surname”
17th Century
English
Swift
“The surname of Jonathan Swift (1667–1745), the Anglo-Irish author and satirist”
19th Century
English
Swiftian
“Relating to Jonathan Swift or resembling his writing”
Modern English
English
Swiftian
“Marked by ingenious, savage, often deadpan satire in the manner of Jonathan Swift”