The Borisaurus: The Dictionary of Boris Johnson

By Simon Walters

Do you know your Boosterism from your Backstopectomy? Can you tell Prometheus from Cincinnatus, and if so, do you know what Prime Minister Boris Johnson is trying to say when he namechecks esoteric figures from the classics, quotes obscure phrases from history or just makes words up?

Certainly, Johnson is the most verbose Prime Minister of recent years, no doubt the result of a classical education, a closet full of public-school confidence and a former career as a wordsmith for The Times. Boris, more than perhaps any other leader, knows the importance of words, but he also knows how to have serious fun with them.

Welcome to The Borisaurus, a lexicon of the Prime Minister’s funniest, wittiest, most interesting words and phrases compiled in one brilliant dictionary, with every entry accompanied by a guide to its etymology, pronunciation, meaning and the intention of its use.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Biteback Publishing
• Release date: Apr 9, 2020
• ISBN: 9781785905803

Simon Walters

Simon Walters is the assistant editor of The Daily Mail, prior to which he spent almost twenty years at the Mail on Sunday as its political editor. Walters has been named political journalist of the year at the Society of Editors Press Awards four times, most recently in March 2018.