Wagnerian

1 of 2

adjective

Wag·​ne·​ri·​an väg-ˈnir-ē-ən How to pronounce Wagnerian (audio) -ˈner- How to pronounce Wagnerian (audio)
: of, relating to, characteristic, or suggestive of Wagner or his music, stage operas, or theories

Wagnerian

2 of 2

noun

: an admirer of the musical theories and style of Wagner

Examples of Wagnerian in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
The doctor himself is characterized sometimes by boisterously chattering lines, sometimes by semi-Wagnerian bombast; at the end, his music turns elegiac, implicitly undercutting his dreams of beginning anew. Alex Ross, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Richard Wagner

First Known Use

Adjective

1868, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1874, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Wagnerian was in 1868

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wagnerian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Wagnerian. Accessed 16 Dec. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!