Joycean

comparative more Joycean · superlative most Joycean · alternative Joycian

1. Of or pertaining to James Joyce (1882–1941) or his writings.

   Even Muldoon's fans find some of the “difficulty” of this pyrotechnical erudition too playful, suspecting him of a Joycean desire to “keep the professors busy”.

   2001 May 12, Robert Potts, “The poet at play”, in The Guardian, →ISSN

   1 more example

   Around the world these days there are thousands of Joycean scholars who make their living parsing and reparsing the great man who, perhaps much to his chagrin if he were alive, has become a symbol of all things Irish to millions.

   2011 June 15, Debbie McGoldrick, “The genius of the Irish writer James Joyce”, in IrishCentral.com

2. In a verbally inventive style similar to that of James Joyce.

   Jimson is a total nonconformist and his god is William Blake, whom he quotes endlessly in his somewhat Joycean interior monologues.

   1984, Anthony Burgess, “The Horse's Mouth — Joyce Cary [1944]”, in Ninety-nine Novels, London: Allison & Busby

plural Joyceans · alternative Joycian

1. A person who studies or admires the works of James Joyce.

   But [Richard] Ellmann himself was a Joycean avant la lettre.

   2025 June 16, Eric Bulson, “Yes I Will Read ‘Ulysses’ Yes”, in The Atlantic, →ISSN