Empsonian UK /ɛmpˈsəʊ.ni.ən/US /ɛmpˈsoʊ.ni.ən/ adjective1 •Of or pertaining to William Empson (1906–1984), English literary critic and poet.It was a memory of a poetry lesson in her training college in Liverpool: an earnest Empsonian young man, not really attractive. — 1959 formsmore Empsonian · most Empsonian