English Explanatory Dictionary

ostent

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. To make an ambitious display of; to exhibit or show boastingly; to ostentate.
noun
  1. A display, an exhibition; an appearance, a manifestation.
  2. A boastful, ostentatious display or exhibition.
noun
  1. A portent, a token.
noun
  1. One sixtieth of an hour: a minute (60 seconds).

Pronunciation

/ˈɒstɛnt/ /ˈɑstɛnt/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-ostente.wav /ɒˈstɛnt/ /ɑˈstɛnt/ /ə-/

Word forms

ostent ostents ostenting ostented ostenta

Etymology

From Middle French ostenter (“to make an ostentatious display of”), or directly from its etymon Latin ostentāre (“to exhibit, present, show; to show off”), frequentative of ostendere (“to exhibit, show”), from ob- (prefix meaning ‘against; towards’) + tendere (“to extend, stretch; to distend”) (from Proto-Indo-European *tend- (“to extend, stretch”)). Doublet of ostentate.

Synonyms

demonstrate display ostentate manifest exhibitionize preen strut aura farm boulevardier cut a wide swath cut it fat cut round figure away flamboast flaunt flex floss fluff one's feathers gallery high-side let one's nuts hang ostent showboat show away show off strut one's stuff stunt swag it out swagger swank three-sheet venditate yaya
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