ostentation

C2+ Topic:Mind & Cognition

US /ˌɑstɛnˈteɪʃən/ UK /ˌɒstɛnˈteɪʃən/ See IPA manual

noun

Meanings

1

noun
showy display intended to impress or attract attention

The mansion's gilded gates were pure ostentation, meant to dazzle visitors.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · showy display intended to... showinessflamboyanceflashinesspretension display flaunting pomp exhibitionism

Opposites

modesty restraint simplicityunderstatementhumility

Word family

Derived forms ostentatious

Related forms ostentatious ostensible ostensive

Etymology

From Latin 'ostentatio' ('a showing, display, parade'), from 'ostentare' ('to display eagerly'), frequentative of 'ostendere' ('to show').

ostentatio Latin ostendere Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Mind & Cognition Word Formation & Derivatives

# ostentation

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** ˌɑstɛnˈteɪʃən
**IPA (UK):** ˌɒstɛnˈteɪʃən

## Meanings
1. showy display intended to impress or attract attention

## Examples
- The mansion's gilded gates were pure ostentation, meant to dazzle visitors.

## Synonyms
- showiness
- flamboyance
- flashiness
- pretension
- display
- flaunting
- pomp
- exhibitionism

## Antonyms
- modesty
- restraint
- simplicity
- understatement
- humility

## Derived Forms
- ostentatious

## Related Forms
- ostentatious
- ostensible
- ostensive

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: ostentatio
- Root: ostendere

## Etymology
From Latin 'ostentatio' ('a showing, display, parade'), from 'ostentare' ('to display eagerly'), frequentative of 'ostendere' ('to show').

## AI Etymology
Ostentation is from Latin 'ostentatio' ('a showing, display, parade'), from 'ostentare' ('to display eagerly'), frequentative of 'ostendere' ('to show'). Important recorded forms include ostentatio (Latin) and ostendere (Latin). The modern sense follows that older lexical line closely. In current use it covers showy display intended to impress or attract attention. The wider family includes derived forms such as ostentatious and related words such as ostentatious, ostensible, and ostensive.

## Topics
- Mind & Cognition
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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ostentation

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