Jupiter Scapin
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
A nickname of Napoleon Bonaparte, given him by the Abbe de Pradt Scapin is a valet famous for his knavish tricks, in Moliere's comedy of Les Fourberies de Scapin.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Jupiter Scapin” mean?
A nickname of Napoleon Bonaparte, given him by the Abbe de Pradt Scapin is a valet famous for his knavish tricks, in Moliere's comedy of Les Fourberies de Scapin.
Is “Jupiter Scapin” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.