Ostentatio

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A display of wealth or knowledge intended to impress others, often characterized by an excessive or pretentious showiness
2. An act of showing off one's possessions or talents to attract attention, often seen as boastful or grandiose
3. A demonstration of opulence or intellectual prowess designed to evoke admiration or envy from observers

Etymology: "Ostentatio" is the Latin noun from "ostentare," a frequentative of "ostendere," meaning "to show, to present to view," built from "obs-" ("toward, in the way of") and "tendere" ("to stretch"). The root image is of stretching something out so it can be seen. From the same verb came "ostentare," meaning to display repeatedly or conspicuously, and the sense of showing off was already present in Classical Latin usage. English took the word largely through Latin and French channels, and its core sense has stayed close to the Latin: a display meant to be seen. The English noun "ostentation" is the form most readers will recognise, and it carries the negative tinge of showing off that the Latin already hinted at. The Latin form itself is the base from which the English word descends, so it is best understood as the source rather than a separate modern term.

Synonyms: display, showmanship

Antonyms: modesty, restraint