grandiloquence

grandiloquence
noun
Synonyms of grandiloquence
: a lofty, extravagantly colorful, pompous, or bombastic style, manner, or quality especially in language
was urged to follow up his grandiloquence with positive action
grandiloquent

 adjective
grandiloquently adverb


Did you know?
Grandiloquence is a word for highfalutin speech that itself has somewhat of a highfalutin ring. It’s one of several English words related to speech that come from the Latin verb loqui, meaning “to speak,” including loquacious (“full of excessive talk”), soliloquy (“a long, dramatic monologue”), and, notably, eloquence, which refers to the ability to speak or write well and in an effective or persuasive way. Those who use grandiloquence in their speech or prose could also be described as a bit extra in their attempts at eloquence—the grand in grandiloquence traces back to the Latin adjective grandis meaning “great” or “grand.”

Synonyms
bluster
bombast
brag
braggadocio
bull [slang]
cockalorum
fanfaronade
gas
gasconade
hot air
magniloquence
rant
rodomontade
rhodomontade
Examples of grandiloquence in a Sentence
a heavyweight champion who was famous for his entertaining grandiloquence prior to every match
the predictably wearisome grandiloquence of the speeches at a political convention
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Much of that singularity was centered in McCarthy’s prose, which ricocheted—sometimes gracefully, sometimes jarringly—between gruff matter-of-factness and soaring, biblical grandiloquence.
—Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 13 June 2023
Several of them can fly, and all have at least a touch of grandiloquence to them.
—Michael Nordine, Variety, 11 Aug. 2022

Word History
Etymology
probably from Middle French, from Latin grandiloquus using lofty language, from grandis + loqui to speak

First Known Use
1589, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of grandiloquence was in 1589