spectacular

Pronunciation

• IPA: /spɛkˈtæk.jʊ.lə/ (UK); /spɛkˈtæk.jə.lɚ/ (US)^[1]

Etymology

It is from spectacle, Latin spectāculum, a sight, show, with the suffix -ar,^[2][3] on the pattern of pairs such as oracle and oracular.^[4][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Of the nature of a spectacle or show; striking: 1682 in the OED and Merriam-Webster, the 1680s in Etymonline.^[6][3][2]

Semantic evolution

Relating to spectacles or shows is from 1864,^[6] and fond of spectacles from 1894.^[6] As a noun, a spectacular display, it is attested by 1890,^[2][6] later especially a lavishly produced radio or television programme.^[6][7] Spectacularity is from 1883.^[6] The sense unusually great or marked, as a spectacular increase, is in modern use.^[8]

Timeline

• 1682 – like a spectacle.^[6]
• 1864 – relating to shows.^[6]
• 1890 – a spectacular display (noun).^[6]

Modern meaning

Adjective

1. Impressive, grand or dramatic; sensational.
2. Unusually great or marked.

Noun

1. A lavish or elaborate show or production.

Word family

• spectacularity
• spectacularly
• nonspectacular
• unspectacular

Related words

• spectacle
• species
• speculate
• spectator
• spectrum
• inspect
• aspect

References

1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
3. ^ a b Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
4. ^ Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles (2002), 5th ed., ed. William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, Oxford: Oxford University Press
5. ^ Pearsall, Judy, ed. (1998), The New Oxford Dictionary of English, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ a b c d e f g h i Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
8. ^ Collins English Dictionary (2023), Glasgow: HarperCollins