Standard Lemma guide

fanfare

noun · verb · 11 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈfænfɛə/
  • Canada, General-American: /ˈfænfɛɹ/
  • Canada, General-American: [ˈfɛənfɛɹ]
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Australian: /ˈfænfeə/
  • CMU ARPABET: F AE1 N F EH2 R Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A flourish of trumpets or horns as to announce; a short and lively air performed on hunting horns during the chase.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable

Examples

  • They played a short fanfare to announce the arrival of the king.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A show of ceremony or celebration.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • The town opened the new library with fanfare and a speech from the mayor.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To play a fanfare.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To embellish with fanfares.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: entertainment, lifestyle, music

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To imitate a fanfare, in order to dramatize the presentation or introduction of something.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

To introduce with pomp and show.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

verb

Meaning 7

To mark an arrival or departure with music, noise, or drama.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

verb

Meaning 8

To publicize or announce.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

verb

Meaning 9

To fan out.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

noun

Meaning 10

(music) a short lively tune played on brass instruments

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he entered to a flourish of trumpets
  • her arrival was greeted with a rousing fanfare

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: flourish, tucket

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: tune, melody, air, strain, melodic line, line, melodic phrase

11

noun

Meaning 11

a gaudy outward display

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: ostentation, flash

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: display

Narrower terms: bravado, bluster, exhibitionism, ritz, splurge, pedantry

History

Etymology

Borrowed from French fanfare; some senses apparently influenced by surface analysis, fan + fare.

Across languages

Translations

30 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: фанфа́р (fanfár) — a flourish of trumpets or horns
  • Catalan: fanfara — a flourish of trumpets or horns
  • Catalan: fanfàrria — a flourish of trumpets or horns
  • Czech: fanfára — a flourish of trumpets or horns
  • Dutch: fanfare — a flourish of trumpets or horns
  • Esperanto: fanfaro — a flourish of trumpets or horns
  • Finnish: fanfaari — a flourish of trumpets or horns
  • French: fanfare — a flourish of trumpets or horns
  • German: Fanfare — a flourish of trumpets or horns
  • Hebrew: תְּרוּעָה (t'ru'á) — a flourish of trumpets or horns
  • Hungarian: fanfár — a flourish of trumpets or horns
  • Hungarian: harsonaszó — a flourish of trumpets or horns
  • Indonesian: fanfare — a flourish of trumpets or horns
  • Japanese: ファンファーレ (fanfāre) — a flourish of trumpets or horns
  • Korean: 팡파르 (pangpareu) — a flourish of trumpets or horns
  • Polish: fanfara — a flourish of trumpets or horns
  • Portuguese: fanfarra — a flourish of trumpets or horns
  • Russian: фанфа́ра (fanfára) — a flourish of trumpets or horns
  • Lower Sorbian: fanfara — a flourish of trumpets or horns
  • Spanish: fanfarria — a flourish of trumpets or horns
  • Swedish: fanfar — a flourish of trumpets or horns
  • Finnish: torvisoitto — a show of ceremony or celebration
  • Japanese: 鳴り物入り (narimonoiri) — a show of ceremony or celebration
  • Portuguese: fanfarra — a show of ceremony or celebration
  • Russian: фанфа́ра (fanfára) — a show of ceremony or celebration
  • Spanish: fanfarria — a show of ceremony or celebration
  • Spanish: bombo y platillo — a show of ceremony or celebration
  • Ottoman Turkish: طنطنه (tantana) — a show of ceremony or celebration
  • Ottoman Turkish: شان (şan) — a show of ceremony or celebration
  • Ottoman Turkish: نمایش (nümayiş) — a show of ceremony or celebration