ostentatio

Ostentatio is a Latin noun meaning display, show, or exhibition. It derives from the verb ostentare, to reveal or present, and ultimately from the broader sense of showing. In classical usage, ostentatio denotes a public display or demonstration, which may concern wealth, power, or virtue, and can refer to both legitimate presentations and more flamboyant displays.

In Latin literature, ostentatio is used to describe ceremonies, honors, or rhetorical demonstrations that are intended to impress an audience. In later Christian and moral writings, the term often carries a critical nuance, referring to acts performed for the sake of appearance rather than genuine virtue, such as ostentatious displays of piety or charity designed to attract admiration.

In modern scholarship, the concept survives in English discussions as ostentation, and is closely connected to the idea of conspicuous display. In sociology and economics, ostentation relates to conspicuous consumption, a term attributed to Thorstein Veblen that denotes visible spending or signaling behavior intended to signal status to others.

Despite its historical and linguistic roots, ostentatio is not a routine term in contemporary Latin prose outside scholarly or textual analysis. It remains a useful descriptor in the study of ancient, medieval, and religious texts for describing displays that are meant to be observed or admired, and for analyzing the social and moral implications of such displays.