Flaunt

Pronunciation

• RP IPA: /flɔːnt/
• some accents IPA: /flɑːnt/
• GenAm IPA: /flÉ”nt/
• cot-caught IPA: /flÉ’nt/
• Rhymes: -ɔːnt, -ɑːnt

Alternative forms

• flant obsolete

Origin

Of origin, related to Norwegian flanta ("to show off, wander about"), Icelandic flana ("to rush about, act rashly or heedlessly"); or perhaps related to Swedish flankt ("loosely, flutteringly"; compare English flaunt-a-flaunt), from Swedish flanka ("waver, hang and wave about, ramble"), a nasalised variant of Swedish flakka ("to waver"), related to Middle English flacken ("to move to and fro, flutter, palpitate"), see flack.

Full definition of flaunt

Verb

1. (intransitive, obsolete) To wave or flutter smartly in the wind.
2. (transitive) To parade, display with ostentation.She's always flaunting her designer clothes.
3. (intransitive, archaic or literary) To show off, as with flashy clothing.
• ArbuthnotYou flaunt about the streets in your new gilt chariot.
• Alexander PopeOne flaunts in rags, one flutters in brocade.
• 1856, Dinah Craik, ,The younger belles had begun to flaunt in the French fashions of flimsy muslins, shortwaisted— narrow-skirted.
• 1897, Henry James, ,… and Mrs. Wix seemed to flaunt there in her finery.

Usage notes

Do not confuse with flout.