showy
/ˈʃoʊ.i/adjective
showy is spelled S-H-O-W-Y: 5 letters and 2 syllables. It appears about once in every 2 million words in written English, the 37,459th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a derogatory adjective, showy means “Calling attention; flashy; standing out to the eye” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in showy?
| Letters | 5: S-H-O-W-Y |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | about once in every 2 million words; the 37,459th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is showy?
Showy appears about once in every 2 million words in written English, the 37,459th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce showy?
- UK /ˈʃəʊ.i/
- US /ˈʃoʊ.i/
Showy has 2 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-showy.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with showy?
8 words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as showy from its last stressed vowel (/oʊi/):
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of showy
- showier comparative
- showiest superlative
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does showy mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adjective
- 1
derogatoryCalling attention; flashy; standing out to the eye.
- 2
Making a striking or aesthetically pleasing display.
showy flowers
- 3
informalInclined to showing (by conveying an impression so that events are described in the narrative), instead of telling (by explicitly stating facts).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Showy in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | tape-à-l’œil |
| German | protzig, auffällig, schreiend, grell , prächtig |
| Portuguese | mirabolante, exibido |
| Spanish | ostentoso, jactancioso, aparatoso, fardón, de relumbrón , vistoso |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does showy come from?
From show (noun) + -y.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).