extravaganza

American  

[ik-strav-uh-gan-zuh] / ɪkˌstræv əˈgæn zə /

noun

• extravaganzas
  plural

1. a musical or dramatic composition or production, as comic opera or musical comedy, marked by a loose structure, a frivolous theme, and elaborate costuming and staging.

2. any lavish or opulent show, event, assemblage, etc..

   an extravaganza of new housewares on the twelfth floor.

---

extravaganza British  

/ ɪkˌstrævəˈɡænzə /

noun

1. an elaborately staged and costumed light entertainment

2. any lavish or fanciful display, literary or other composition, etc

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• extravaganzas
  plural

Etymology

Origin of extravaganza

1745–55; alteration of Italian ( e ) stravaganza extravagance

Explanation

Halftime at the Super Bowl, the Oscar awards ceremony, or the opera Aida performed at the Baths of Caracalla — each of these is an extravaganza, a big, splashy, extravagant entertainment or celebration. The word extravaganza comes from the Italian word estravaganza (or stravaganza), which was an elaborate literary or musical production. When the word appeared in English in the mid-18th century, English speakers turned the estra- into extra- because after all, an elaborate entertainment could certainly be called something "extra." Aida at the Baths of Caracalla, complete with horses, astonishing costumes, and faux-Egyptian temples — now that's an extravaganza.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

extravaganza extravaganzas

There are so many categories and so many nominees—too much of a good thing, perchance—that the television academy splits the ceremonies in two: last weekend’s Creative Arts Emmys, and next Monday’s star-studded network extravaganza.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026

What started as a two-month tour across the U.S. and parts of Canada is now a strategically placed, five-date extravaganza starting this weekend in Long Beach.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026

Coldplay's Chris Martin is curating the extravaganza, a first for a football World Cup final and one that has raised concerns over how long the game's halftime break will be.

From Barron's ● Jul. 8, 2026

We lived next door to a police officer who often helped dad produce our summer extravaganza.

From Salon ● Jul. 3, 2026

I liked the shameless extravaganza: gold leaf and baroque excesses did not put me off.

From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood

This was also the heyday of traveling extravaganzas like Buffalo Bill Cody’s Wild West shows, which featured hundreds of performers re-enacting frontier battles and showing off their hunting and sharpshooting skills.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 15, 2026

Grand Slams used to be fortnight-long events but are increasingly becoming three-week extravaganzas, with the Australian Open leading the way.

From BBC ● Feb. 3, 2026

Trump hosted WrestleMania extravaganzas at his hotels and made numerous appearances at matches.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 3, 2024

But it’s worth noting that the ACC, Big Ten and Big 12 will hold their football media extravaganzas in July, before the 10 schools are actually members.

From Seattle Times ● May 20, 2024

In fact they cared not at all about the war, about scientific inventions, about the advance of industry, the price of gold, or the latest extravaganzas in the world of fashion.

From "The House of the Spirits: A Novel" by Isabel Allende

Related Words

• pageant
• spectacular