Flashy
adjectiveOstentatiously bright, expensive, or attention-seeking, often in a way that lacks subtlety or taste.
How to spell flashy
6 letters · 2 syllables
How to pronounce flashy
Say the part in capitals loudest.
What does flashy mean?
- adjectiveOstentatiously bright, expensive, or attention-seeking, often in a way that lacks subtlety or taste.
Flashy in a sentence
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He drove a flashy sports car to impress the clients.
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The presentation was full of flashy graphics but very little real content.
Where does flashy come from?
Language of origin: Germanic
The word grows out of 'flash', a verb and noun that appeared in Middle English around the 1300s, probably formed in imitation of a sudden movement or burst of light; early on it could even mean to splash water suddenly. By adding the common adjective ending '-y', meaning 'full of' or 'having the quality of', English produced 'flashy' in the 1500s. At first it could describe something that gave off a quick burst of light or showed a brief, dashing brilliance. Over time the sense soured slightly, so that today 'flashy' usually carries a hint of disapproval, describing display that is showy and superficial rather than tastefully impressive. The spelling is regular once you remember the silent connection to 'flash': keep the 'sh' and simply trade the final consonant feel for the '-y'.
How the word is built
- flash (sudden bright light)
- -y (adjective suffix: having the quality of)
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