Etymology

1984-ish

Today it means: Resembling or pertaining to a totalitarian society, especially one characterised by intensive surveillance of the population. Full definition →

First used 20th c.
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The story

From 1984 + -ish, a reference to the George Orwell novel Nineteen Eighty-Four. Piecewise doublet of 1984-esque.

First known use, by meaning

  • from 20th c. Resembling or pertaining to a totalitarian society, especially one characterised by intensive surveillance of the population.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.