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ostentation

   Also found in: Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.03 sec.
os·ten·ta·tion  (stn-tshn, -tn-)
n.
1. Pretentious display meant to impress others; boastful showiness.
2. Archaic The act or an instance of showing; an exhibition.

[Middle English ostentacioun, from Old French ostentacion, from Latin ostentti, ostenttin-, from ostentre, frequentative of ostendere, to show; see ostensible.]

ostentation
Noun
pretentious, showy, or vulgar display: she felt the gold taps in the bathroom were tasteless ostentation
ostentatious adj
ostentatiously adv

Ostentation of peacocks; a spectacular show or exhibition, 1388.
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.ostentationostentation - a gaudy outward display
display - exhibiting openly in public view; "a display of courage"
bravado, bluster - a swaggering show of courage
exhibitionism - extravagant and conspicuous behavior intended to attract attention to yourself
ritz - ostentatious display of elegance; "they put on the ritz"
splurge - an ostentatious display (of effort or extravagance etc.)
pedantry - an ostentatious and inappropriate display of learning
2.ostentation - lack of elegance as a consequence of being pompous and puffed up with vanity
inelegance - the quality of lacking refinement and good taste
3.ostentation - pretentious or showy or vulgar display
pretentiousness, pretension, largeness - the quality of being pretentious (behaving or speaking in such a manner as to create a false appearance of great importance or worth)
Translations
French ostentation [ɔstɛnˈteɪʃən] nostentation f
German ostentation [ɔstɛnˈteɪʃən] nPomp m, Protz m
Italian ostentation [ɔstɛnˈteɪʃən] nostentazione f

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? Mentioned in ? References in classic literature
 
There was too much ostentation, and so I came away.
But to be candid without ostentation or design-- to take the good of everybody's character and make it still better, and say nothing of the bad-- belongs to you alone.
In preparing these for use he manifested all the ostentation of a professed cook, although the chief mystery of the affair appeared to consist in pouring water in judicious quantities upon the slimy contents of his cocoanut shells.
 
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