The Obscure Word: Rodomontade
Another Obscure Word
Earlier words in the series are here
Today's word is rodomontade.
What does 'rodomontade' mean?
According to dictionary.com, rodomontade can be used as a noun, verb, or adjective, but it feels like a noun to me. In any case, the noun means " vainglorious boasting or bragging ; pretentious, blustering talk "; the verb and adjective have very similar meanings.
Why should you use this word?
Doesn't it just sound marvelous?
What is the origin of the word "rodomontade"?
This word has a very interesting etymology! The Online Etymology Dictionary tells us that "rodomontade' entered English in the early 17th century and that it comes from Italian , from the characteristics of the character Rodomonte in Orlando Furioso by Ariosto, and that it literally means "one who rolls away the mountain" in colloquial Italian. Per Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orlando_Furioso, Orlando Furioso is an Italian romantic epic.
How is "rodomontade" used?
World Wide Words points out that the first use in English was by the great poet John Donne, who said "Challengers cartells, full of Rodomontades" and that Anne Bronte used it in The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, writing "She knows what she's about; but he, poor fool, deludes himself with the notion that she'll make him a good wife, and because she has amused him with some rodomontade about despising rank and wealth in matters of love and marriage, he flatters himself that she's devotedly attached to him."
Wordnik has many examples, including one by the Washington post "The power of poetry, and art in general, to connect us more deeply with ourselves, rather than the empty rodomontade and blather of public life, is fundamental to Merwin's mix of ecological and personal vision."
Sources: www.dictionary.com
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=rodomontade
Wikipedia
World Wide Words http://www.worldwidewords.org/weirdwords/ww-rod1.htm
Published by Peter Flom
I am a statistician, working with a wide variety of clients, mostly researchers in psychology, education, medicine, social sciences and other fields. I also have given talks and written articles on learning... View profile
Timeshare - Selling the Greatest Product in the World!20 year timeshare sales professional and award winning sales executive Dr. Peter J. Shield PhD,ARP discusses world wide opportunities for professional sales people.- Don't Be a Lone Fish on the World Wide Web '" Join a School and Watch Your Success...Having a website that consumers are unable to find in the search engines is nothing more than a waste of your marketing dollars. Drawing customers to your place on the internet, however, can be accomplished.
- The Obscure Word: ObnubilateI define and use the word obnubilate
- The Obscure Word: KarstI define and illustrate the word "karst".
- The Obscure Word: ResileI define and show the use of this obscure word: Resile
- The Obscure Word: Plangent
- Commonly Used Latin Words and Phrases in Modern English
- Modern Journalism Made Possible with the World Wide Web
- The Yahoo Style Guide Tames the World Wide Web
- Why the World Wide Web is the Greatest Invention in the World
- SEO - Weaving Your Business into the World Wide Web
- A Mom's View of World Wide Group Amway Global
9 Comments
Post a CommentThis is a fun word, I must figure out a way to use it.
are you saying that i have a rodomontade personality. i don;t need to hear that. ;-)
Interesting word, but I doubt I'll ever use it...lol
This is a new word for me. Thanks for a fun and informative article :)
It should be the name of a book or album, don't you think?
I really like Orlando Furioso, and I also like the word rodomontade. Thank you.
Hehe! You could even use this word to insult someone while making the person think they were being complimented! The possibilities are endless.
This word sounds like its meaning. Lot of fun (and info) in this article!
This is a fun word! It's one of those words that you can insult people with and they will never get it. I plan on putting it in my vocabulary. There are a few people who are rodomantade with their speech. Is that correct?