highfalutin - Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day

Summary2 min read

Episode Overview

Podcast: Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day
Episode Title: highfalutin
Date: August 2, 2026
Host: Peter Sokolowski

In this episode, Merriam-Webster introduces the word "highfalutin," exploring its meaning, usage, origins, and enduring place in American English.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

What Does "Highfalutin" Mean?

Definition:
Highfalutin is an adjective. Someone or something described as "highfalutin" seems—or is trying to seem—great or important, frequently in a pretentious way.
(00:14)
Example Sentence:
“Standing 787ft tall, the tower was one of the last of the era when downtown Dallas's skyline was defined by highfalutin oil execs, bankers, financiers and the architects who used steel, concrete and glass to erect opulent monuments to their economic success.”
— Dallas Morning News, quoted by Peter Sokolowski (00:34)

Why Use "Highfalutin"?

Friendly Tone:
The host points out that "highfalutin" is a fun way to call out pretentious people or language—without yourself sounding pretentious.
(00:58)
Contrast With Other Words:
Peter humorously highlights that using more formal synonyms like “grandiloquent,” “fustian,” or “orotund” might make the speaker sound exactly as pretentious as the target:

“Were you to describe the high flown speech of another using other adjectives available to you, such as grandiloquent, fustian or orotund, you might be found guilty of the faux pas yourself.”
(01:07)

Origins & Etymology

American Roots:
"Highfalutin" first appeared as American slang in the early 1800s and has had various spellings, including "high faluting."
(01:16)
Probable Construction:
The word is believed to combine:
- High (as in “high and mighty”)
- -fluting (possibly from musical “flute”—mimicking the “shrill and biting high tones” of flowery speech)
  (01:26)
Enduring Usage:
The word remains a staple of "down home American speech"—plainspoken, familiar, and gently mocking.
(01:59)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On the delight of the word itself:

“Highfalutin has a fine to describe pretentious people or language without making the person you using it sound, well, pretentious.”
— Peter Sokolowski (00:58)
On the dangers of fancy synonyms:

“Were you to describe the high flown speech of another using other adjectives available to you, such as grandiloquent, fustian or orotund, you might be found guilty of the faux pas yourself.”
(01:07)
On the word’s whimsical origin:

“Why fluting? Maybe down to earth Americans thought that the overly formal, condescending and flowery speech of the high and mighty sounded like the shrill and biting high tones of a flute.”
(01:29)

Episode Structure & Timestamps

[00:00] Introduction of the word "highfalutin," spelling, and definition
[00:34] Example sentence and context
[00:58] Why "highfalutin" is a fun, non-pretentious word
[01:07] Caution against even more pretentious synonyms
[01:16] The slangy, American origins of the word
[01:26] Hypothesis about “fluting” in the word’s construction
[01:59] The word’s lasting place in American English
[02:04] [Outro and website plug—skipped as per instructions]

Tone & Style

Peter Sokolowski maintains an approachable, slightly whimsical tone—offering historical and linguistic insight while inviting listeners to appreciate the color and playfulness of “highfalutin.”

In summary:
This episode invites listeners to enjoy the playful, down-to-earth charm of "highfalutin"—a word for calling out pretense with a wink, all rooted in American linguistic ingenuity.

Loading summary

Transcript2 lines

[00:00]
A
Foreign. It's the word of the day for August 2nd. Today's word is highfalutin. Spelled as one word, H I G H F A L U T I n. Highfalutin is an adjective someone or something described as highfalutin seems or is trying to seem great or important. Here's the word used in a sentence from the Dallas Morning News. Standing 787ft tall, the tower was one of the last of the era when downtown Dallas's skyline was defined by highfalutin oil execs, bankers, financiers and the architects who used steel, concrete and glass to erect opulent monuments to their economic success. Highfalutin has a fine to describe pretentious people or language without making the person you using it sound, well, pretentious. Were you to describe the high flown speech of another using other adjectives available to you, such as grandiloquent, fustian or orotund, you might be found guilty of the faux pas yourself. Highfalutin first appeared as American slang in the early 1800s, and like many slang terms, it has had a lot of different spellings, including high faluting. The word most likely originated as a combination of the adjective high as used in the phrase high and mighty and the participle fluting. Why fluting? Maybe down to earth Americans thought that the overly formal, condescending and flowery speech of the high and mighty sounded like the shrill and biting high tones of a flute. Whatever the reasoning, highfalutin has remained a staple of down home American speech ever since. With your word of the day, I'm Peter Sokolowski.
[02:04]
B
Visit Merriam Webster.com today for definitions, wordplay and trending word lookups.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

What Does "Highfalutin" Mean?

Definition:
Highfalutin is an adjective. Someone or something described as "highfalutin" seems—or is trying to seem—great or important, frequently in a pretentious way.
(00:14)

Example Sentence:
“Standing 787ft tall, the tower was one of the last of the era when downtown Dallas's skyline was defined by highfalutin oil execs, bankers, financiers and the architects who used steel, concrete and glass to erect opulent monuments to their economic success.”
— Dallas Morning News, quoted by Peter Sokolowski (00:34)

Why Use "Highfalutin"?

Friendly Tone:
The host points out that "highfalutin" is a fun way to call out pretentious people or language—without yourself sounding pretentious.
(00:58)

Contrast With Other Words:
Peter humorously highlights that using more formal synonyms like “grandiloquent,” “fustian,” or “orotund” might make the speaker sound exactly as pretentious as the target:

“Were you to describe the high flown speech of another using other adjectives available to you, such as grandiloquent, fustian or orotund, you might be found guilty of the faux pas yourself.”
(01:07)

Origins & Etymology

American Roots:
"Highfalutin" first appeared as American slang in the early 1800s and has had various spellings, including "high faluting."
(01:16)

Probable Construction:
The word is believed to combine:

High (as in “high and mighty”)
-fluting (possibly from musical “flute”—mimicking the “shrill and biting high tones” of flowery speech)
(01:26)

Enduring Usage:
The word remains a staple of "down home American speech"—plainspoken, familiar, and gently mocking.
(01:59)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On the delight of the word itself:

“Highfalutin has a fine to describe pretentious people or language without making the person you using it sound, well, pretentious.”
— Peter Sokolowski (00:58)

On the dangers of fancy synonyms:

“Were you to describe the high flown speech of another using other adjectives available to you, such as grandiloquent, fustian or orotund, you might be found guilty of the faux pas yourself.”
(01:07)

On the word’s whimsical origin:

“Why fluting? Maybe down to earth Americans thought that the overly formal, condescending and flowery speech of the high and mighty sounded like the shrill and biting high tones of a flute.”
(01:29)

Episode Structure & Timestamps

[00:00] Introduction of the word "highfalutin," spelling, and definition

[00:34] Example sentence and context

[00:58] Why "highfalutin" is a fun, non-pretentious word

[01:07] Caution against even more pretentious synonyms

[01:16] The slangy, American origins of the word

[01:26] Hypothesis about “fluting” in the word’s construction

[01:59] The word’s lasting place in American English

[02:04] [Outro and website plug—skipped as per instructions]

Tone & Style

Peter Sokolowski maintains an approachable, slightly whimsical tone—offering historical and linguistic insight while inviting listeners to appreciate the color and playfulness of “highfalutin.”

In summary:
This episode invites listeners to enjoy the playful, down-to-earth charm of "highfalutin"—a word for calling out pretense with a wink, all rooted in American linguistic ingenuity.