noun · 5 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
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/ˌɒstənˈteɪʃən/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -eɪʃən
CMU ARPABET:AO2 S T EH0 N T EY1 SH AH0 N
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
Ambitious display; vain show; display intended to excite admiration or applause.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable, usually
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
A show or spectacle.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete, uncountable, usually
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
pretentious or showy or vulgar display
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Originated 1425–75 from late Middle English ostentacioun, borrowed from Middle French ostentation and its etymon Latin ostentātiō, ostentātiōnem, equivalent to ostentātus (past participle of ostentāre, to display or exhibit), frequentative of ostendere (“to present, display”) + -iōn. By surface analysis, ostent + -ation.
Across languages
Translations
44 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
показност
(pokaznost)
— display of excessive show in an attempt to impress others
Catalan:
ostentació
— display of excessive show in an attempt to impress others
Czech:
okázalost
— display of excessive show in an attempt to impress others
Dutch:
aanstellerij
— display of excessive show in an attempt to impress others
Dutch:
uitsloverij
— display of excessive show in an attempt to impress others
Finnish:
näytös
— display of excessive show in an attempt to impress others
Finnish:
näytelmä
— display of excessive show in an attempt to impress others
French:
ostentation
— display of excessive show in an attempt to impress others
Galician:
ostentación
— display of excessive show in an attempt to impress others
German:
Zurschaustellung
— display of excessive show in an attempt to impress others
German:
Schaustellung
— display of excessive show in an attempt to impress others
German:
Pomp
— display of excessive show in an attempt to impress others
German:
Prahlerei
— display of excessive show in an attempt to impress others
German:
Prunk
— display of excessive show in an attempt to impress others
German:
Gepränge
— display of excessive show in an attempt to impress others
German:
Ostentation
— display of excessive show in an attempt to impress others
Greek:
επίδειξη
(epídeixi)
— display of excessive show in an attempt to impress others
Hindi:
आडंबर
(āḍambar)
— display of excessive show in an attempt to impress others
Hungarian:
kérkedés
— display of excessive show in an attempt to impress others
Irish:
mustar
— display of excessive show in an attempt to impress others
Kapampangan:
pamagpakit-gilas
— display of excessive show in an attempt to impress others
Ladino:
fiaka
— display of excessive show in an attempt to impress others
Ladino:
saltanat
— display of excessive show in an attempt to impress others
Māori:
hahakitanga
— display of excessive show in an attempt to impress others
Polish:
ostentacja
— display of excessive show in an attempt to impress others
Romanian:
ostentație
— display of excessive show in an attempt to impress others
Russian:
показное проявле́ние
(pokaznoje projavlénije)
— display of excessive show in an attempt to impress others
Russian:
хвастовство
(xvastovstvo)
— display of excessive show in an attempt to impress others
Russian:
выставление напоказ
(vystavlenije napokaz)
— display of excessive show in an attempt to impress others
Russian:
рисовка
(risovka)
— display of excessive show in an attempt to impress others
Russian:
помпа
(pompa)
— display of excessive show in an attempt to impress others
Tagalog:
pagpapakitang-gilas
— display of excessive show in an attempt to impress others
Tagalog:
pakitang-gilas
— display of excessive show in an attempt to impress others
Bulgarian:
спектакъл
(spektakǎl)
— show or spectacle
Dutch:
show
— show or spectacle
Dutch:
spektakel
— show or spectacle
Finnish:
näytös
— show or spectacle
French:
spectacle
— show or spectacle
German:
Schau
— show or spectacle
German:
Spektakel
— show or spectacle
German:
Zurschaustellung
— show or spectacle
German:
Darbietung
— show or spectacle
Greek:
θέαμα
(théama)
— show or spectacle
Russian:
демонстра́ция
(demonstrácija)
— show or spectacle
