adj
highbrow
Highbrow (adj) means appealing to sophisticated or intellectual tastes. Example: “The festival mixed highbrow art films with mainstream comedies.”
adj
1
Appealing to sophisticated or intellectual tastes.
"The festival mixed highbrow art films with mainstream comedies."
noun
1
A person with refined, intellectual tastes.
"Critics dismissed the play as entertainment for highbrows."
How to use highbrow
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSophisticated, intellectual, or "arty" — often used slightly mockingly, contrasted with "lowbrow."
Easily confused with
lowbrow →
middlebrow
Common pairings
highbrow culture
highbrow taste
too highbrow
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Word forms
- Plural
- highbrows
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The festival mixed _____ art films with mainstream comedies.
Etymology
Coined in the 1870s from high + brow, drawing on the now-discredited pseudoscience of phrenology, which claimed that a taller forehead signalled greater intelligence.
Class of 1870
highbrow joined the language around 1870.
See the full Class of 1870 →
Synonyms
View more →
highbrowed
Antonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “highbrow” mean?
The word “highbrow” means appealing to sophisticated or intellectual tastes. In plain terms, sophisticated, intellectual, or "arty" — often used slightly mockingly, contrasted with "lowbrow.".
How do you use “highbrow” in a sentence?
Here is “highbrow” used in a sentence: “The festival mixed highbrow art films with mainstream comedies.”
What part of speech is “highbrow”?
Depending on how it is used, “highbrow” can be an adjective and a noun.
Where does the word “highbrow” come from?
The word “highbrow” dates back to around 1870. Coined in the 1870s from high + brow, drawing on the now-discredited pseudoscience of phrenology, which claimed that a taller forehead signalled greater intelligence.
How many meanings does “highbrow” have?
“Highbrow” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: appealing to sophisticated or intellectual tastes.
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