spectacle
Americannoun
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spectacles
plural
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anything presented to the sight or view, especially something of a striking or impressive kind.
The stars make a fine spectacle tonight.
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a public show or display, especially on a large scale.
The coronation was a lavish spectacle.
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spectacles. eyeglasses, especially with pieces passing over or around the ears for holding them in place.
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Often spectacles.
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something resembling spectacles in shape or function.
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any of various devices suggesting spectacles, as one attached to a semaphore to display lights or different colors by colored glass.
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Obsolete. a spyglass.
idioms
noun
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a public display or performance, esp a showy or ceremonial one
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a thing or person seen, esp an unusual or ridiculous one
he makes a spectacle of himself
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a strange or interesting object or phenomenon
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(modifier) of or relating to spectacles
a spectacle case
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of spectacle
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Latin spectāculum “sight, spectacle,” from spectā(re) “to look at,” literally, “to look repeatedly” (from specere “to look, regard, see”) + -culum -cle 2
Explanation
A spectacle is something you can't believe you are seeing. Get on top of your desk at work in your underpants while playing the kazoo and you're making a spectacle of yourself. The word spectacle comes from the Latin spectaculum meaning "public show," an apt translation because a spectacle, like a public show, is something worth watching. A ballet is a spectacle, or an elaborate production worth watching. Often the word is used to describe something that has a particularly exciting visual element to it — like an acrobatic display or a magic trick. It's something you have to see to really appreciate.
Vocabulary lists containing spectacle
Party Parlance for Mardi Gras
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Common Senses: Spec, Spect, Spic ("Look")
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Chains
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
It can also refuse to let the story disappear once the initial spectacle has passed.
From Salon ● Oct. 17, 2026
Last night’s Tesla Roadster unveiling was a grand spectacle, but light on some key details.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
Among the flowers were several threatened species, adding ecological significance to the seasonal spectacle.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 12, 2026
"Stories about corporate intrigue, money and power have found a home on TV. They lack the cinematic qualities that excite big screen audiences, like emotion, spectacle and fantasy," Gross said.
From Barron's ● Oct. 11, 2026
It wasn't much in terms of a spectacle.
From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris
Harry Styles’ queer residency, and other spectacles like it, are what is left until a new bygone era arrives in time.
From Salon ● Sep. 6, 2026
The incident occurred days before Google announced its multi-year partnership with Beast Industries, a company founded by YouTube influencer Jimmy Donaldson, also known as his media personality MrBeast, who produces viral spectacles online.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2026
But whether you witnessed such sights firsthand or not, it’s clear their temporary creations were beautiful and audacious visual spectacles.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026
It has also advised caution surrounding glasses being sold online, as the scramble for safe spectacles has prompted eclipse chasers to trawl social media for tips.
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
The old lady had been reading her morning portion of Scripture—the Lesson for the day; her Bible lay open before her, and her spectacles were upon it.
From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
