Swank
/swæŋk/noun
To behave or dress in a showy, self-important way; also, stylish or flashy.
Did you know?Swank is an old English dialect word tied to the idea of swinging or swaying with showy movement, and its modern meaning grew from that physical swagger into social display.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*swinganan
“to swing, sway, move back and forth”
Old English
OE
swancian
“to toil, labor, move with effort”
Middle English
ME
swank
“to move or behave in a lively, swaggering way”
19th Century
English
swank
“showy, elegant, fashionable”
Modern English
English
swank
“flashy style or self-important display”