Janeite

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Jane +‎ -ite, coined by British critic and literary historian George Saintsbury in his introduction to Pride and Prejudice published in 1894 (see quotations at Janite).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈd͡ʒeɪnaɪt/

Noun

Janeite (plural Janeites)

  1. (usually derogatory) A fan of the author Jane Austen, especially one without a background in literary criticism.
    • 1924, Rudyard Kipling, The Janeites:
      “Every dam' thing about Jane [Austen] is remarkable to a pukka Janeite!”
    • 2010, Edward Copeland, Juliet McMaster, The Cambridge Companion to Jane Austen, page 236:
      Unlike virtually all academic readers of Austen since the 1950s, Janeites in foxholes do not think Austen's novels are about courtship and marriage.
    • 2012, Henry Hitchings, “How to flummox a Janeite”, in Who's Afraid of Jane Austen: How to Talk About Books You Haven't Really Read:
      The 'regulated hatred' angle will work a treat. After all, Janeites don't want to hear about that sort of thing, because it's the opposite of what they adore in their heroine's writing.
    • 2025 May 10, Jemima Kelly, “My week with Jane Austen”, in FT Weekend, Travel, page 7:
      All the Austen aficionados on my tour—or Janeites, as they call themselves—seem to be true fans of her writing who know the novels inside out.

Synonyms

Derived terms

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