highbrow
UK[ˈhaɪbraʊ]US[ˈhaɪbraʊ]
adj
interested in serious art, literature, or ideas, and often considered to be superior or intellectual
n
a person who is a highbrow
Morpheme Breakdown
high
brow
high
of great vertical extent
brow
Etymology
the term highbrow is a distinctly modern english compound, originating in early 20th-century america as a phrenological metaphor. it was based on the now-discredited pseudoscience which claimed that a person's intellectual capacity and character were indicated by the shape of their skull, specifically that a high forehead suggested a large brain and superior intellect. this literal physical description was then applied metaphorically to describe people or cultural products deemed intellectually sophisticated or serious. over time, the word acquired its current, sometimes slightly ironic, usage to denote an interest in elite arts and ideas.
Analysis
Structure: high + brow
high (old english, meaning "of great vertical extent") + brow (old english, meaning "forehead" or "eyebrow")
Examples
the festival aims to attract a more highbrow audience with its program of classical music and lectures.
he dismissed the abstract painting as pretentious highbrow nonsense.
although she enjoys popular fiction, her true passion lies in highbrow literature.