noun
Uncommon
bohemian
boh-HEE-mee-uhn
Bohemian (noun) means a person, especially an artist or writer, who lives an unconventional lifestyle, often rejecting mainstream norms. Example: “The city's bohemians gathered nightly in the same smoky café.”
noun
1
A person, especially an artist or writer, who lives an unconventional lifestyle, often rejecting mainstream norms.
"The city's bohemians gathered nightly in the same smoky café."
adj
1
Unconventional in lifestyle, dress, or habits, especially in an artistic way.
"She had a bohemian sense of style — flowing skirts, layered jewelry, bare feet."
"The magazine's aesthetic also bends it into more bohemian territory. Food articles often have botanical illustrations of lesser-eaten greenery like endive and watercress, drawn by artist John Burgoyne."
— Shawn Chandler Bingham, Bohemian Groves, Grooves, Gardens, and Guns (2017)
"Georgetown, a Jesuit university and a "hot big city school" (Mathews 2007:53): is popularly believed to be "hotter," wealthier, more bohemian, more liberal, and more laid back than its secular counterpart, GWU."
— Shabana Mir, Muslim American Women on Campus (2014)
How to use bohemian
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishLiving or dressing in an unconventional, artsy, free-spirited way.
Common pairings
bohemian lifestyle
bohemian style
bohemian artist
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Word forms
- Plural
- bohemians
- Comparative
- more bohemian
- Superlative
- most bohemian
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The city's _____ gathered nightly in the same smoky café.
Etymology
From French bohémien, originally meaning "person from Bohemia," later applied to unconventional artists, partly due to a (mistaken) association with Romani travelers thought to have come through Bohemia.
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for bohemian
See all rhymes for bohemian →Frequently asked questions
What does “bohemian” mean?
The word “bohemian” means a person, especially an artist or writer, who lives an unconventional lifestyle, often rejecting mainstream norms. In plain terms, living or dressing in an unconventional, artsy, free-spirited way.
How do you pronounce “bohemian”?
“Bohemian” is pronounced boh-HEE-mee-uhn (/boʊˈhimi.ən/ in IPA).
How do you use “bohemian” in a sentence?
Here is “bohemian” used in a sentence: “The city's bohemians gathered nightly in the same smoky café.”
What part of speech is “bohemian”?
Depending on how it is used, “bohemian” can be a noun and an adjective.
Where does the word “bohemian” come from?
The word “bohemian” comes from French. From French bohémien, originally meaning "person from Bohemia," later applied to unconventional artists, partly due to a (mistaken) association with Romani travelers thought to have come through Bohemia.
Is “bohemian” a common word?
“Bohemian” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “bohemian” have?
“Bohemian” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a person, especially an artist or writer, who lives an unconventional lifestyle, often rejecting mainstream norms.
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