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Lexiphanic: meaning, pronunciation and examples
Lexiphanic adjective. Using showy, pretentious words to impress.
How to say it
lek-sih-FAN-ik/ˌlɛksɪˈfanɪk/
4 syllables, stressed on the third (FAN).
Lexiphanic in a sentence
The lexiphanic essay used 'perambulate' where 'walk' would have done nicely.
Strip the lexiphanic flourishes from his reports and there's little left.
Similar and opposite
Similar:
- pretentious
- grandiloquent
- bombastic
- high-flown
Opposite:
- plain
- unadorned
Where lexiphanic comes from
From Greek lexiphanēs, a show-off with words, from lexis, word, and phainein, to show.
Test yourself
Which word fills the gap?
Strip the _____ flourishes from his reports and there's little left.
- laconic
- voluble
- lexiphanic
Show the answer
lexiphanic: Strip the lexiphanic flourishes from his reports and there's little left.