1 fanfaronade | Definition of fanfaronade

fanfaronade

noun
fan路​far路​o路​nade | \ 藢fan-藢fer-蓹-藞n膩d How to pronounce fanfaronade (audio) , -藢fa-r蓹-, -藞n盲d How to pronounce fanfaronade (audio) \

Definition of fanfaronade

: empty boasting : bluster

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You Can Brag About Your Knowledge of Fanfaronade

If we tell you that fanfaronade is what fanfarons do, you'll easily guess that fanfaron means "braggart." Both "fanfaron" (a fairly uncommon word found in unabridged dictionaries) and "fanfaronade" derive from "fanfarr贸n," a Spanish word for a boaster that probably developed in imitation of the verbal claptrap blared by blowhards. "Fanfarr贸n" gave Spanish speakers fanfarronada, which the French borrowed with the spelling "fanfaronnade"; English speakers further modified the French term into "fanfaronade" in the mid-1600s. Some etymologists believe English speakers borrowed "fanfaron" directly from Spanish, but others think that word also passed through French before reaching our language. It isn't clear whether "fanfaron" and "fanfaronade" are directly related to the similar "fanfare" or if that term arose as yet another transliteration of the sound of a showy or pompous display.

Examples of fanfaronade in a Sentence

all his talk of how he would easily win the boxing match turned out to be so much fanfaronade

First Known Use of fanfaronade

1652, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for fanfaronade

French fanfaronnade, from Spanish fanfarronada, from fanfarr贸n braggart

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More from Merriam-Webster on fanfaronade

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with fanfaronade

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for fanfaronade