foofaraw

[ foo-fuh-raw ]

noun

1. a great fuss or disturbance about something very insignificant.
2. an excessive amount of decoration or ornamentation, as on a piece of clothing, a building, etc.

Word History and Origins

Origin of foofaraw¹

First recorded in 1845–50; originally a regional word on the western frontier of the U.S.; further etymology uncertain; possibly from Spanish fanfarrón, a noun and adjective meaning “braggart, boaster” (perhaps from Arabic farfār “talkative”); perhaps also from French fanfaron, a noun and adjective with the same meanings as the Spanish, the French dialect form fanfarou perhaps also having contributed