ostentation etymology

Etymology:

• Late Latin ostentātiō, from Latin ostentāre, "to display, show", from ob+ tendere, "to stretch out"

Meaning:

• A display meant to impress or attract notice, especially when excessive or showy.
• Pretentious or gaudy behavior or appearance.

Origin:

The Latin verb ostentāre is related to the noun ostentum, meaning "sign, portent, prodigy." In Roman religion, ostenta were unusual or remarkable occurrences believed to be sent by the gods as indications of their will. Displaying or interpreting these portents was an important role of Roman augurs and priests.

Over time, the meaning of ostentāre shifted from "displaying portents" to "displaying generally," and eventually to "displaying excessively or showily." The noun ostentātiō followed a similar semantic trajectory, acquiring its modern meaning of "ostentation" in the 17th century.

ostentation relate terms

• ostensible

  Etymology Latin ostendere to show exhibit Past participle ostensus French os

• ostentatious

  Etymology Latin ostentātiōn stem of ostentātiō from ostentāre to display Pro

• ostentation

  Etymology Late Latin ostentātiō from Latin ostentāre to display show from ob

• fanfare

  Origin Early 17th century from French fanfare flourish of trumpets from fanfare

• flash

  Etymology Flash From the Middle English flashen meaning to move quickly with a sud

• inflation

  Etymology Inflation derives from the Latin word inflatio genitive inflationis mea

• pretension

  Etymology The word pretension comes from the Latin praetendere meaning to stretch

• simpleness

  Etymology From Middle English simplenesse from Anglo Norman French simplenesse from L

• pomp

  Etymology Latin pompa meaning procession parade Meaning A grand elaborate o

• simplicity

  Etymology The word simplicity comes from the Late Latin word simplicitās which mean

• bluster

  Etymology Old English blōstre meaning a boast bragging Derived from the Proto Germ

• pedantry

  Etymology The word pedantry is derived from the Latin word paedagogus which means

• display

  Etymology Etymology comes from the Greek words etymon true sense and logos word