Word of the Day: Fustian - Unpacking the Meaning of Pretentious Language

• Fustian originally referred to a coarse cotton and flax cloth, similar to heavy twill or velveteen, common in medieval Europe.
• By the 16th century, the term evolved to describe language that is inflated, pretentious, and gaudy, mimicking expensive fabrics with cheap material.
• It signifies pompous, bombastic, and overblown writing or speech, where grand words lack substantive thought.
• Synonyms include bombastic, grandiloquent, turgid, orotund, and purple prose, while antonyms are plainspoken, unadorned, laconic, and succinct.
• Fustian is often found in hollow oratory, bad historical novels, or corporate jargon, masking simple ideas with complex expressions.

Why It Matters: Fustian describes pretentious, overblown language that prioritizes show over substance, lacking genuine eloquence.