steamboat Gothic

noun

: an elaborately ornamented architectural style used in homes built in the middle 19th century in the Ohio and Mississippi river valleys

Word History

Etymology

from its use in homes of retired steamboat captains in imitation of the style of river steamboats

First Known Use

1941, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of steamboat Gothic was in 1941

Dictionary Entries Near steamboat Gothic

Cite this Entry

“Steamboat Gothic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/steamboat%20Gothic. Accessed 28 Mar. 2023.

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