Word of the Day: Flamboyant

Word of the Day : December 23, 2017

flamboyant \flam-BOY-ant\ adjective

Definition

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

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.

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Aired December 23, 2017

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