Word of the Day

: December 23, 2017

flamboyant

adjective flam-BOY-ant

What It Means

: marked by or given to strikingly elaborate or colorful display or behavior

flamboyant in Context

The circus performers were easily identifiable by their flamboyant costumes and stage makeup.

"When costume designer Meredith Markworth-Pollack began working on a modern-day reboot of the 1980s soap 'Dynasty'—which debuts Wednesday evening on the CW—she wanted to pay homage to the original series' flashy, flamboyant fashions." — Raquel Laneri, The New York Post, 9 Oct. 2017

Did You Know?

If you've ever heard of a dessert served flambé, you already have some insight into the origins of today's word. Flamboyant, which was borrowed into English from French in the 19th century, can be traced back to Old French flambe, meaning "flame." In its earliest uses flamboyant referred to a style of architecture, often in the florid French Gothic style, which featured waving curves that suggested flames. Eventually, the word developed a more general second sense for anything eye-catching or showy. And of course, Old French flambe is also the origin of the English adjective flambé.