ostent

ostent · verb¹

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*tend-“to extend, stretch”
2. Latin · derived fromostentāre“to exhibit, present, show; to show off”
3. Middle French · derived fromostenter“to make an ostentatious display of”
4. English todayostent

From Middle French ostenter (“to make an ostentatious display of”), or directly from its etymon Latin ostentāre (“to exhibit, present, show; to show off”), frequentative of ostendere (“to exhibit, show”), from ob- (prefix meaning ‘against; towards’) + tendere (“to extend, stretch; to distend”) (from Proto-Indo-European *tend- (“to extend, stretch”)). Doublet of ostentate.

ostent · noun²

1. Latin · derived fromostentus“a display, exhibition, show”
2. English todayostent

From Latin ostentus (“a display, exhibition, show”), from ostendere (“to exhibit, show”); see further at etymology 1.

ostent · noun³

1. Latin · derived fromostenta
2. Latin · derived fromostentum“portent”
3. Middle French · derived fromostente“amazing or marvellous thing; prodigy, wonder”
4. English todayostent

From Middle French ostente (“amazing or marvellous thing; prodigy, wonder”) or directly from its etymon Latin ostentum (“portent”), from ostendere (“to exhibit, show”); see further at etymology 1. The plural form ostenta is from Latin ostenta.

ostent · noun⁴

1. Latin · derived fromostentum
2. English todayostent

Perhaps from Latin ostentum.

Words from the same roots