highfalutin

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high·fa·lu·tin

or hi·fa·lu·tin (hī′fə-lo͞ot′n) also high·fa·lu·ting (-lo͞ot′n, -lo͞o′tĭng)

adj. Informal

Pompous or pretentious: "highfalutin reasons for denying direct federal assistance to the unemployed" (Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr.).

[Origin unknown.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

highfalutin

(ˌhaɪfəˈluːtɪn) or

hifalutin

;

highfaluting

adj

informal pompous or pretentious

[C19: from high + -falutin, perhaps variant of fluting, from flute]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

high•fa•lu•tin

(ˌhaɪ fəˈlut n)

also high•fa•lu•ting

(-ˈlu tɪŋ, -ˈlut n)

adj. Informal.

pompous; haughty; pretentious.

[1830–40; high + falutin (perhaps orig. flutin, variant of fluting, present participle of flute)]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Adj.

highfalutin - affectedly genteel

hifalutin, highfaluting, hoity-toity, la-di-da, grandiose

pretentious - making claim to or creating an appearance of (often undeserved) importance or distinction; "a pretentious country house"; "a pretentious fraud"; "a pretentious scholarly edition"

highfalutin

adjective (Informal) pompous, lofty, high-flown, pretentious, grandiose, swanky (informal), florid, bombastic, supercilious, high-sounding, arty-farty (informal), magniloquent This isn't highfalutin art.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

highfalutin

or hifalutin
also highfaluting
adjective

Informal. Characterized by an exaggerated show of dignity or self-importance:

grandiose, hoity-toity, pompous, pretentious, puffed-up, puffy, self-important.

Translations

pöyhkeilevä

dagályosnagyhangú

напыщенный

highfalutin

highfaluting [ˈhaɪfəˈluːtɪn] ADJ → presuntuoso, pomposo

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

highfalutin

[ˌhaɪfəˈluːtɪn] adj → affecté(e)high fashion n → haute couture fhigh-fashion [ˌhaɪˈfæə^ən] modif [clothes, label] → haute couture invhigh fibre diet (British) high-fibre diet (British) high fiber diet (US) high-fiber diet (US) n (= régime) → régime m riche en fibres (= food eaten) → alimentation f riche en fibreshigh finance n → la haute financehigh five high-five [ˌhaɪˈfaɪv] n → high five m
to give sb a high five → faire un high five avec qn, échanger un high five avec qn, taper dans les mains de qnhigh-flier high-flyer, high flier, high flyer [ˌhaɪˈflaɪə^r] n (gifted) → jeune loup m; (successful) corporate high-fliers → cadres de haut vol, cadres de haute voléehigh-flown [ˌhaɪˈfləʊn] adj [style, discourse] → ampoulé(e)high-flyer high flyer [ˌhaɪˈflaɪə^r] = high-flierhigh-flying [ˌhaɪˈflaɪɪŋ] adj [businessman, lawyer, executive] → de haute volée, de haut vol; [aim, ambition] → extravaganthigh-frequency [ˌhaɪˈfriːkw^ənsi] modif → à haute fréquencehigh gear n (US) → cinquième f, cinquième vitesse fhigh-grade [ˌhaɪˈgreɪd] modif → de qualité supérieurehigh-handed [ˌhaɪˈhændɪd] adj → cavalier/ière
He wants to be seen as less bossy and high-handed → Il voudrait être perçu comme une personne moins autoritaire et cavalière.high-heeled [ˌhaɪˈhiːld] adj [shoes, boots] → à hauts talons
high-heeled shoes → chaussures à hauts talonshigh heels npl → hauts talons mplhigh horse n
to be on one's high horse → monter sur ses grands chevauxhigh-impact [ˌhaɪˈɪmpækt] adj (= strong) [material] → résistant(e) aux impactshigh-income [ˌhaɪˈɪnkəm] modif [earner, taxpayer, family] → à hauts revenus; [fund, bond] → à haut rendementhigh-interest [ˌhaɪˈɪntrəst] adj [loan, mortgage] → à intérêt élevé; [account] → fortement rémunéré(e)
a high-interest bank account → un compte bancaire fortement rémunéré

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

highfalutin

[ˌhaɪfəˈluːtɪn] adj (fam) → pomposo/a

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

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References in classic literature ?

"I'm glad you didn't load him down with some highfalutin, romantic name that he'd be ashamed of when he gets to be a grandfather.

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All Moscow repeated Prince Dolgorukov's saying: "If you go on modeling and modeling you must get smeared with clay," suggesting consolation for our defeat by the memory of former victories; and the words of Rostopchin, that French soldiers have to be incited to battle by highfalutin words, and Germans by logical arguments to show them that it is more dangerous to run away than to advance, but that Russian soldiers only need to be restrained and held back!

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"An' you, Em, look more highfalutin' than a peacock," he replied.

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There was nothing highfalutin about her company manners--it was by this homely phrase that he differentiated this Dede on horseback from the Dede with the office manners whom he had always known.

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Did that young man who spoke so highfalutin' get her?"

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But no; you wouldn't listen, you with your highfalutin' notions an' more pairs of shoes than any decent woman should have.

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The number two office in terms of state hierarchy sounds powerful but is in actual fact just highfalutin.

With Ruto falling into political hole, Matiang'i is the man to watch

I don't really go for fancy spas with highfalutin treatments like seaweed wraps, caviar massages, and I kid you not, there are even Evian baths and gold facials.

From city to sitio

The best practicing lawyers are not the obnoxious charlatans who try to impress with highfalutin irrelevancies; they are the tireless writers of term sheets, memoranda, contracts, treaties, complaints, answers, motions, briefs and memorials; and, the best jurists are the rippling authors of decisions and orders.

Of legal technicians and social engineers

Highfalutin chefs may be aghast as she unashamedly uses tinned potatoes for her roast, or sprinkles dried herbs.

For her next trick it's super quick! She cast a spell on us in Bake Off and has a magical way with mushrooms - now Nadiya Hussain shares her tips to help you conjure up more taste from less time cooking

It typically provides a highfalutin title, visa privileges, and, most importantly, money.

Taiwan tackles brain drain to China head on

Neighbour of highfalutin, highly priced Edgbaston, Harborne has always been the go-to area for academics at the university and doctors at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.