grandiose

  • 1grandiose — [ grɑ̃djoz ] adj. • 1798; it. grandioso ♦ Qui frappe, impressionne par son caractère de grandeur, son aspect majestueux, son ampleur. ⇒ imposant, impressionnant, magnifique, majestueux. « un art magnifique, grandiose, solennel, mais [...]… …

    Encyclopédie Universelle

  • 2Grandiose — Gran di*ose , a. [F. grandiose, It. grandioso. See {Grand}.] 1. Impressive or elevating in effect; imposing; splendid; striking; in a good sense. [1913 Webster] The tone of the parts was to be perpetually kept down in order not to impair the… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 3grandiose — 1828 (earlier as a French word in English), from Fr. grandiose impressive (18c.), from It. grandioso, from L. grandis big (see GRAND (Cf. grand) (adj.)). Related: Grandiosely …

    Etymology dictionary

  • 4grandiose — I adjective affected, boastful, bombastic, enormous, exorbitant, flamboyant, flashy, flaunting, fustian, grandiloquent, high sounding, huge, immense, inflated, lofty, magniloquent, mighty, ornate, orotund, ostentatious, pompous, pretentious,… …

    Law dictionary

  • 5grandiose — imposing, stately, *grand, august, magnificent, majestic, noble Analogous words: ostentatious, pretentious, *showy: grandiloquent, magniloquent, *rhetorical …

    New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • 6grandiose — [adj] theatrical, extravagant affected, ambitious, august, bombastic, cosmic, egotistic, flamboyant, fustian, grand, high falutin’*, high flown, imposing, impressive, lofty, lordly, magnificent, majestic, monumental, noble, ostentatious,… …

    New thesaurus

  • 7grandiose — ► ADJECTIVE 1) impressive or magnificent, especially pretentiously so. 2) conceived on a very ambitious scale. DERIVATIVES grandiosely adverb grandiosity noun. ORIGIN Italian grandioso, from grande grand …

    English terms dictionary

  • 8grandiose — [gran′dē ōs΄, gran΄dē ōs′; ] also [, gran΄dēōz΄] adj. [Fr < It grandioso < L grandis, great, GRAND] 1. having grandeur or magnificence; imposing; impressive 2. seeming or trying to seem very important; pompous and showy SYN. GRAND… …

    English World dictionary

  • 9grandiose — grandiosely, adv. grandioseness, grandiosity /gran dee os i tee/, n. /gran dee ohs /, adj. 1. affectedly grand or important; pompous: grandiose words. 2. more complicated or elaborate than necessary; overblown: a grandiose scheme. 3. grand in an… …

    Universalium

  • 10grandiose — gran•di•ose [[t]ˈgræn diˌoʊs[/t]] adj. 1) affectedly grand; pompous: grandiose words[/ex] 2) more complicated than necessary: a grandiose scheme[/ex] 3) grand in an imposing way • Etymology: 1830–40; < F < It grandioso < L grandi(s)… …

    From formal English to slang