adjective / noun
bohemian
boh-HEE-mee-un/boʊhˈimiʌn/
Unconventional and artistic in lifestyle or appearance.
The painter's bohemian apartment mixes salvaged furniture with unfinished works of art.
Etymology
French bohémien named a person from Bohemia and also the Roma, who were wrongly believed to originate there. The latter label was transferred to artists and others living outside conventional social standards.
In context
the Bohemian corners of Columbia University in New York a movement began to take shape that would challenge social and literary conventions
More examples
- They enjoyed a bohemian life of travel and music.
- The café attracted writers and other bohemians.
- Her bohemian clothes contrasted with the formal office dress.
Forms
bohemian · bohemians
Similar words
- unconventional
- Any departure from accepted habits, not necessarily artistic.
- free-spirited
- Emphasizes independence rather than a particular artistic lifestyle.