flamboyant
Americanadjective
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strikingly bold or brilliant; showy.
flamboyant colors.
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conspicuously dashing and colorful.
the flamboyant idol of international society.
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florid; ornate; elaborately styled.
flamboyant speeches.
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Architecture.
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having the form of an ogee, as a bar of tracery.
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noting or pertaining to French Gothic architecture of the late 15th and early and middle 16th centuries, characterized by the use of flamboyant tracery, intricacy of detailing, virtuosity of workmanship, attenuation of parts, and frequent complication of interior space.
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noun
adjective
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elaborate or extravagant; florid; showy
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rich or brilliant in colour; resplendent
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exuberant or ostentatious
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of, denoting, or relating to the French Gothic style of architecture characterized by flamelike tracery and elaborate carving
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of flamboyant
1825–35; < French, present participle of flamboyer to flame, flair, derivative of Old French flambe flame; see -ant
Explanation
Flamboyant means elaborate and ostentatious. When you think of flamboyant, think of Las Vegas showgirls: feathers, sequins, three-inch heels, enough make-up to disguise any irregularity. Flamboyant means showy, and though we often roll our eyes at it, it's not a hateful thing. Liberace was flamboyant. So was Elvis. The word comes from the French flamboyer, to flame. Think of passion and pageantry all rolled into one, and you'll have a good idea what flamboyant should mean at its best. If that doesn't do it for you, think of a man playing a shiny white grand piano at a rock concert, wearing a white satin jump suit and 8-foot wide, fully-feathered wings. See? Flamboyant.
Vocabulary lists containing flamboyant
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"The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
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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.
Mr. Taupin, of course, has been the far less known of the two, compared with his flamboyant song-making partner.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2026
The en suite bathroom is as flamboyant as they come, with stars, peacock feathers, and graphic prints painted across the ceiling, purple walls, and double vanity.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 14, 2026
Alan Cumming is in his dressing room on the set of “The Traitors,” where a rack of flamboyant costumes hangs behind him.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026
De la Espriella, a flamboyant 48-year-old millionaire, was elected in June on an anti-establishment platform.
From Barron's ● Sep. 8, 2026
There was Dostum, the flamboyant Uzbek commander, leader of the Junbish-i-Milli faction, who had a reputation for shifting allegiances.
From "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
