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

The dining room, an exercise in intimate elegance done with green trellis work, offers a concise high-end French menu served with panache. —Florence Fabricant, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2024

This bag itself may be the epitome of that, for all golfers who want that panache in their game. —Red Fabbri, Travel + Leisure, 12 Mar. 2024

While one-length styles certainly don't have to lack panache, layers are an easy option for anyone who is craving a change that does not require sacrificing much length. —Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 22 Feb. 2024

And to my mind, there is no way to demonstrate your flair and panache than by refreshing your door furniture. —Jermaine Gallacher, Vogue, 21 Feb. 2024

Still, it’s got enough panache (to use Dick’s favorite word) to charm viewers for a little while — if not necessarily to keep them invested for the long haul. —Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Mar. 2024

Cutting-edge jazz, hard bop, fusion, Great American Songbook favorites given a fresh spin — White performs each with equal poise and panache, skill and ingenuity, improvisational aplomb and unerring grace and fire. —George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Nov. 2023

At the intersection of fashion and sport, the new Tommy x We the Best collection combines Hilfiger’s signature Americana prep aesthetic with Khaled’s panache. —Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 2 Feb. 2024

To give the cake a little panache, Rochelle plans to add some icing for the special occasion. —Erin Clack, Peoplemag, 22 Jan. 2024

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

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