swank (2009-10-13)

Part of Speech: adjective

Pronunciation: ['swængk]

Definition: (Colloquial) In the US: a slightly pejorative term meaning "luxurious, fashionably elegant," referring to dwellings, restaurants, and the like. In parts of Scotland it means "active, agile." Elsewhere it means "ostentatiously pretentious."

Usage: Today’s word is used most widely with places like swank hotels and swank restaurants. However, with the suffix –y, it may be used with other words: a swanky car, a swanky outfit for a swank café. The verb is less becoming, "Chas swanked in and lectured us on the hard work he'd done to land the pickled pea packaging account."

Suggested Usage: Today's word comes with an extended family. "Swank" can be a noun, meaning smartness in bearing, or, less politely, a swagger. As an intransitive verb, it means to act pretentiously, to swagger. "Swanky" is an adjective derived from the noun meaning "swaggering, boastful." In the US it seems to be derived from the adjective and has the same meaning except its application is not restricted to places. Of course, where there is a "swanky" there must be a "swankiness." That is the noun accomplice of today’s word.

Etymology: "Swank" appears in 1809 in English with the meaning "to strut." It is related to Middle High German swanken "to sway, totter" and Old High German swingan "to swing," itself a cousin of Old English swingan "to swing" and Old Norse sveggia "to swing, sway." All of those words point to the physical motion of a swagger, and "swank" adds some speculation about the inflated ego that would cause someone to walk that way.