prop. n. William Schwenk Gilbert, an English dramatist born at London Nov. 18, 1836. He is most famous for his collaborations with Sir Arthur Sullivan on a number of humorous light operas which are known as “Gilbert and Sullivan Operas”. His first play was “Dulcamara” (1866). He also wrote “The Palace of Truth” (1870), “Pygmalion and Galatea” (1871), “Sweethearts” (1874), “Engaged” (1877), “The Mountebanks” (1891), and in collaboration with Sir A. Sullivan (who wrote the music), he wrote “The Sorcerer” (1877), “H. M. S. Pinafore” (1878), “The Pirates of Penzance” (1879), “Patience” (1881), “Iolanthe” (1883), “The Mikado” (1885), “Ruddygore” (1887), “The Yeomen of the Guard” (1888), “The Gondoliers” (1889), and “Utopia, limited” (1893). The light operas proved very popular and continue to be performed over one hundred years later. He also published other works. [ Century Dict. 1906 +PJC ]

William Schwenk Gilbert and Sir Arthur Sullivan, who collaborated on a number of light operas. See Gilbert. [ PJC ]

prop. a. 1. Of, pertaining to, or characteristic of the style of William S. Gilbert; as, Gilbertian libretti. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. Wildly comic and improbable, as in Gilbert and Sullivan operas; as, Gilbertian coincidences. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a Gilbertian world people with foundlings and changelings. T. C. Worsley [ WordNet 1.5 ]