WORD OF THE DAY: OSTENTATIOUS
adjective|ah-stun-TAY-shus
What It Means
Ostentatious describes someone or something that displays wealth, knowledge, power, etc., in a way that is meant to attract attention, admiration, or envy. Things that are ostentatious tend to stand out as overly elaborate or conspicuous.
// The resort town is famous for its extravagantly expensive summer homes, which some tourists view as impressive and others merely ostentatious.
Examples of OSTENTATIOUS
“Valentino presented a dizzying display at Paris haute couture week, fusing the past and present in theatrical, ostentatious designs.” — Lara Owen, The Independent (United Kingdom), 29 Jan. 2025.
Did You Know?
Both ostentatious and the related noun ostentation can be traced to the Latin verb ostentāre, meaning “to display,” and the idea of display persists in the English word’s current use: people and things described as ostentatious seem to be practically begging to be looked at. Ostentatious is often applied to objects and buildings that can also be described as luxurious—flashy jewelry, mansions, edifices with marble columns. Someone with an ostentatious lifestyle spends money in a way that makes it obvious that they have a lot of it. When used in negative constructions—”the house is large but not ostentatious“—the implication is that display isn’t the point.
Merriam Webster Dictionary
