panache

noun

pa·​nache pə-ˈnash  -ˈnäsh 

1

: an ornamental tuft (as of feathers) especially on a helmet

The palace guard had a panache on his helmet.

2

: dash or flamboyance in style and action : verve

… flashed his … smile and waved with the panache of a big-city mayor.

—Joe Morgenstern

Illustration of panache

• panache 1

Did you know?

Few literary characters can match the panache of French poet and soldier Cyrano de Bergerac, from Edmond Rostand’s 1897 play of the same name. In his dying moments, Cyrano declares that the one thing left to him is his panache, and that assertion at once demonstrates the meaning of the word and draws upon its history. In both French and English, panache (which traces back to Late Latin pinnaculum, “small wing”) originally referred to a showy, feathery plume on a hat or helmet. Our familiar figurative sense debuted in the first English translation of Rostand’s play, which made the literal plume a metaphor for Cyrano’s unflagging verve even in death. In a 1903 speech Rostand himself described panache: “A little frivolous perhaps, most certainly a little theatrical, panache is nothing but a grace which is so difficult to retain in the face of death, a grace which demands so much strength that, all the same, it is a grace … which I wish for all of us.”

Examples of panache in a Sentence

She played the role of hostess with great panache.

Recent Examples on the Web

So far he’s done so with artistic panache, leading Kohler’s internal industrial design teams around the world, and collaborating with major figures in the industrial design and lifestyle sectors. —Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 7 May 2026

With its mermaid-style skirt, full sleeves, furry collar and panache of tall black feathers on a crowning headpiece, the ensemble was a callback to the opulence of the 1920s, Cowan said, finished off with 255,000 crystals and beads. —Assistant Editor, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2026

Porcelain also comes in various patterns that can add a bit of panache to your table or kitchen island. —Jennifer Prince, Southern Living, 4 May 2026

In a riotous turn, Beverly played her role as Duncan’s fake date with inappropriate panache. —Paula Mejía, The Atlantic, 3 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle French pennache, from Old Italian pennacchio, from Late Latin pinnaculum small wing — more at pinnacle

First Known Use

1553, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for panache

• backwash
• downwash
• mouthwash
• outwash
• whitewash
• bosh
• frosh
• gosh
• josh
• posh
• quash
• slosh

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