Watsonish

English

Etymology

From Watson +‎ -ish.

Adjective

Watsonish (comparative more Watsonish, superlative most Watsonish)

1. Resembling or characteristic of the character Dr. Watson from the Sherlock Holmes stories.
   • 1922, A. A. Milne, chapter XI, in The Red House Mystery:

     "You don't really want it explained," he said, smacking him on the knee; "you're just being Watsonish. It's very nice of you, of course, and I appreciate it."

   • 1991, Kathryn Lasky, Double Trouble Squared, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, →ISBN, page 159:

     I would have settled for a Watsonish role. I don't have to be the main character.

   • 2012, Philip Tallon, “Watsons, Adlers, Lestrades, and Moriaties: On the Nature of Friends and Enemies”, in Philip Tallon, David Baggett, editors, The Philosophy of Sherlock Holmes, University Press of Kentucky, →ISBN, page 66:

     This element is also picked up by Thomas Aquinas (whose philosophy sometimes has a Watsonish quality in relation to Aristotle, whom he calls simply “The Philosopher”).

Synonyms

• Dr. Watsonish
• Watsonian

See also

• Holmesish