ostentatious

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˌɑstɛnˈteɪʃəs/ UK /ˌɒstɛnˈteɪʃəs/ See IPA manual

adj

Meanings

1

adj
characterized by vulgar or pretentious display; designed to impress

His ostentatious diamond watch drew disapproving glances from the crowd.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · characterized by vulgar or... showy flashy flamboyant pretentious gaudy garish pompous extravagant

Opposites

modest understated restrained plain unassuming

Word family

Forms ostentatiously

Derived forms ostentatiouslyostentatiousness

Related forms ostentation ostensible ostensive

Etymology

From 'ostentation' (Latin 'ostentatio', 'display') plus '-ious', from 'ostentare' ('to display'), frequentative of 'ostendere' ('to show').

ostentare Latin ostendere Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives Register & Style

# ostentatious

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** ˌɑstɛnˈteɪʃəs
**IPA (UK):** ˌɒstɛnˈteɪʃəs

## Meanings
1. characterized by vulgar or pretentious display; designed to impress

## Examples
- His ostentatious diamond watch drew disapproving glances from the crowd.

## Synonyms
- showy
- flashy
- flamboyant
- pretentious
- gaudy
- garish
- pompous
- extravagant

## Antonyms
- modest
- understated
- restrained
- plain
- unassuming

## Derived Forms
- ostentatiously
- ostentatiousness

## Related Forms
- ostentation
- ostensible
- ostensive

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

## Etymology
From 'ostentation' (Latin 'ostentatio', 'display') plus '-ious', from 'ostentare' ('to display'), frequentative of 'ostendere' ('to show').

## AI Etymology
Ostentatious is from 'ostentation' (Latin 'ostentatio', 'display') plus '-ious', from 'ostentare' ('to display'), frequentative of 'ostendere' ('to show'). Important recorded forms include ostentare (Latin) and ostendere (Latin). The modern sense follows that older lexical line closely. In current use it covers characterized by vulgar or pretentious display; designed to impress. The wider family includes derived forms such as ostentatiously and ostentatiousness and related words such as ostentation, ostensible, and ostensive.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives
- Register & Style

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