Messalinian
English
editEtymology
editAdjective
editMessalinian (comparative more Messalinian, superlative most Messalinian)
- Reminiscent of Messalina; scheming and lascivious.
- 1794, Mary Wollstonecraft, An Historical and Moral View of the Origin and Progress of the French Revolution:
- The infamous transaction of the necklace […] , with her messalinian feasts at Trianon, made her the common mark of ridicule and satire.
- 1859, Berkeley Aikin, The Dean:
- [T]he fine features were lost in superabundant fat, and the expression of them was such as I care not to defile my pen by describing, unless I call it Messalinian […] .
- 2003, Simon Sebag Montefiore, Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar:
- [S]he admitted that ‘in my personal life, there have been mistakes about which I could tell you, and all of it because of jealousy.’ Stalin doubtless already knew all her Messalinian exploits.