penny dreadfuls
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
An expressive term for those penny publications which depend more upon sensationalism than upon merit, artistic or literary, for success.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “penny dreadfuls” mean?
An expressive term for those penny publications which depend more upon sensationalism than upon merit, artistic or literary, for success.
Is “penny dreadfuls” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.