noun
macaroni
An eighteenth-century man with an extravagant style of dress.
The portrait shows an eighteenth-century macaroni in elaborate fashionable clothing.
Etymology
The pasta-name became associated with fashionable English travelers who cultivated Italian tastes. It then became a mocking name for men whose dress and manners displayed extravagant sophistication.
More examples
- The historian explained the macaroni's exaggerated hairstyle.
- A satirical print mocked several macaronis.
- The costume designer studied how a macaroni dressed.
Forms
macaroni · macaronis · macaronies