sharawadgi

Meaning

Noun

• A style of landscape gardening or architecture in which rigid lines and symmetry are avoided in favour of an organic appearance.

Origin

• From the Japanese shara'aji or share'aji (洒落味、しゃれ味). The word was first published in a 1690 work by English statesman and essayist Sir William Temple, 1st Baronet (1628–1699) (see quotation), who claimed it was of Chinese origin, but scholars agree that this is incorrect. Temple following his own enthusiasm for China, took the literary model of introducing "the Chineses" (sic) as his spokesmen.