flamboyant

/flamˈbɔɪ.ənt/

//flamˈbɔɪ.ənt// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"flamboyant" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“flamboyant” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #26,793 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#26,793
frequency rank, English
10
letters
16
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Showy, bold or audacious in behaviour, appearance, style, etc.; ostentatious.

Key facts for flamboyant
PropertyValue
Headwordflamboyant
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/flamˈbɔɪ.ənt/
Letters10
Frequency rank#26,793
Misspellings tracked16
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “flamboyant” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). flamboyant lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for flamboyant is 10 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /flamˈbɔɪ.ənt/. Corpus data places it at rank #26,793 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 16 likely wrong-spelling variants for flamboyant, with forms such as "falmboyant", "fflamboyant", and "flabmoyant". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from French flamboyant (“flaming, wavy”), participle of flamboyer (“to flame”), from Old French flamboier, from flambe (“flame”). The architectural style derives its name from the flame-like shapes in the tracery. The correct English form is flamboyant, spelled F-L-A-M-B-O-Y-A-N-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    Showy, bold or audacious in behaviour, appearance, style, etc.; ostentatious.
  2. 2
    Referring to the final stage of French Gothic architecture from the 14th to the 16th centuries.
  3. 3
    Of a blade: forged in a wavy, undulating pattern, like a flame-bladed sword or a kris.

Etymology

Borrowed from French flamboyant (“flaming, wavy”), participle of flamboyer (“to flame”), from Old French flamboier, from flambe (“flame”). The architectural style derives its name from the flame-like shapes in the tracery.

This word in other languages

extravagante(Español)extravagant(Français)extravagant(Deutsch)extravagante(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: falmboyant,fflamboyant,flabmoyant,flambboyant,flamboaynt,flamboyannt,flamboyantt,flamboyatn,flamboynat,flamboyyant,flambyoant,flammboyant,flamobyant,fllamboyant,flmaboyant,lfamboyant

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of flamboyant - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

falmboyant2fflamboyant1flabmoyant2flambboyant1flamboaynt2flamboyannt1flamboyantt1flamboyatn2
Edit distance from "flamboyant"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "flamboyant"?
"flamboyant" is spelled F-L-A-M-B-O-Y-A-N-T. The IPA pronunciation is /flamˈbɔɪ.ənt/.
What does "flamboyant" mean?
As an adjective, "flamboyant" means: Showy, bold or audacious in behaviour, appearance, style, etc.; ostentatious.
What are common misspellings of "flamboyant"?
Common misspellings include "falmboyant", "fflamboyant", "flabmoyant", "flambboyant", "flamboaynt". The correct spelling is "flamboyant".
How do you pronounce "flamboyant"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "flamboyant" is /flamˈbɔɪ.ənt/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "flamboyant"?
Borrowed from French flamboyant (“flaming, wavy”), participle of flamboyer (“to flame”), from Old French flamboier, from flambe (“flame”). The architectural style derives its name from the flame-like shapes in the tracery. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “flamboyant”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is F-L-A-M-B-O-Y-A-N-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /flamˈbɔɪ.ənt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list