Skip to main content
bluestocking reputation

bluestocking reputation

9.4
A reputation for being well educated and interested in books and ideas
  • noun
  • /ˈbluːˌstɑːkɪŋ ˌrɛpjuˈteɪʃən/
  • Archaic
translation icon : reputación de bluestocking
  • She worried that her bluestocking reputation would make her seem unapproachable to some colleagues.

Examples

  • Despite her bluestocking reputation, she was known for her warmth and good humor.

  • His bluestocking reputation preceded him in academic circles across the country.

  • Her bluestocking reputation precedes her in academic circles.

  • Many admire his bluestocking reputation in literary discussions.

  • Her bluestocking reputation as a scholar attracted many students to her lectures.

  • He built a strong bluestocking reputation through his published research and intellectual debates.

  • With a bluestocking reputation for her literary achievements, she was frequently invited to speak at conferences.

Synonyms

stock
vsbluestocking reputation
  • Archaic
32 6.0

The amount of respect or influence a person has

is about intellectual esteem within scholarly or literary circles rather than general popularity
renown
vsbluestocking reputation
9 5.5

Wide fame and respect for someone's work or good qualities

focuses on respected scholarly or literary learning rather than wide public fame
whuffie
vsbluestocking reputation
  • Slang
1 9.9

How much other people like and trust someone in an online community

describes esteem from scholarly or literary learning, not online community standing
reputability
vsbluestocking reputation
1 6.6

A quality of being respected and trusted by many people

focuses on esteem from scholarly or literary learning rather than general respect

How Intellectual

academia
58 6.4
bluestocking reputation
  • Archaic
9.4
letters
  • Literature
6.8

Surface Forms

Morphology

bluestocking + reputation

The phrase simply combines 'bluestocking' (a woman known for intellectual pursuits) with 'reputation' to mean having a reputation for being intellectual; this is a direct, predictable compositional relationship. Although 'bluestocking' is somewhat culturally marked or archaic, if a learner knows that constituent meaning the overall phrase is immediately understandable.

Etymology

Bluestocking reputation comes from 18th century meetings called the Blue Stockings, where guests sometimes wore plain blue stockings and spent the evening talking about books and ideas. That picture of people in blue stockings known for reading made 'bluestocking' mean someone 'well-educated' or 'intellectual', so the phrase means a reputation for learning.