ostentation

/ˌɒstənˈteɪʃən/

//ˌɒstənˈteɪʃən// noun

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

"ostentation" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“ostentation” is uncommon English (frequency #82,626 among 1,431 “O” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#82,626
frequency rank, English
1,431
“O” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Ambitious display; vain show; display intended to excite admiration or applause.

Corpus desk

Index EN-ostentation · ostentation · English

ostentation · rank #82,626 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #82,626
  • LEN-MEGA 11 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 1,431
  • PHOTO-FINISH Orta

Nearest frequency peer: Orta (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Long-tail ranks near “ostentation”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “ostentation” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for ostentation
PropertyValue
Headwordostentation
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌɒstənˈteɪʃən/
Letters11
Frequency rank#82,626
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “ostentation” in English

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

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Rare peers in the same band: “Orta” (#82,625), “OTB” (#82,627), “optimality” (#82,623). Among 1,431 “O” headwords, “ostentation” is #82,626. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

ostentation is uncommon English at frequency #82,626 among 1,431 “O” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˌɒstənˈteɪʃən/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for ostentation, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. Our dataset records no confusable match here, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: Originated 1425–75 from late Middle English ostentacioun, borrowed from Middle French ostentation and its etymon Latin ostentātiō, ostentātiōnem, equivalent to ostentātus (past participle of ostentāre, to display or exhibit), frequentative of ostendere (“to… The correct English form is ostentation, spelled O-S-T-E-N-T-A-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    Ambitious display; vain show; display intended to excite admiration or applause.
  2. 2
    A show or spectacle.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how ostentation appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Sir Henry had consumed his substance in ostentation and riotous hospitality—had fed many at his board, made many merry in his halls, but not a friend was in his house of mourning; the very retainers who had grown rich upon his ruin, seemed to deem the burial of their master but a signal for carousing and license.
  2. Let her awhile be secretly kept in, And publish it that she is dead indeed: Maintain a mourning ostentation;

Etymology

Originated 1425–75 from late Middle English ostentacioun, borrowed from Middle French ostentation and its etymon Latin ostentātiō, ostentātiōnem, equivalent to ostentātus (past participle of ostentāre, to display or exhibit), frequentative of ostendere (“to present, display”) + -iōn. By surface analysis, ostent + -ation.

Synonyms

paradepageantryshowshowinesspomppompousnessvauntingboasting

This word in other languages

ostentation(Français)Zurschaustellung(Deutsch)

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 "ostentation"?
"ostentation" is spelled O-S-T-E-N-T-A-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌɒstənˈteɪʃən/.
What does "ostentation" mean?
As a noun, "ostentation" means: Ambitious display; vain show; display intended to excite admiration or applause.
How do you pronounce "ostentation"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "ostentation" is /ˌɒstənˈteɪʃən/. 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 "ostentation"?
Originated 1425–75 from late Middle English ostentacioun, borrowed from Middle French ostentation and its etymon Latin ostentātiō, ostentātiōnem, equivalent to ostentātus (past participle of ostentāre, to display or exhibit), frequentative of oste... 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "ostentation", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 11 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

papermaking#82,639patrilineal#82,647numismatics#82,602neighbourly#82,588

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list