braggadocio

Braggadocio is a noun referring to boastful, swaggering talk or to a person who engages in such talk. It emphasizes ostentatious self-promotion and often carries a pejorative nuance, implying exaggeration or disregard for the truth. The term is also used adjectivally as braggadocious.

Etymology: The word derives from Renaissance Italian Braggadocio or Braggadocchio, a boastful character in Italian romance and epic poetry. It is linked to the verb bragare, meaning "to boast," and the English form appears in the 16th century as part of the broader tradition of braggart figures in early modern literature.

Usage: In contemporary English, braggadocio denotes a way of talking that is loud, self-promotional, and largely unsubstantial. It can describe speech patterns, behavior, or a person who habitually makes grandiose claims. The term is typically negative, though it may be used jokingly or critically in media and commentary.

Variants and related terms include braggadocious (adjective) and braggadocio as the noun; related concepts are boast, swagger, bombast, and braggart. In common usage, the word often appears in discussions of sports, entertainment, and social media where self-promotion is prominent.