fustian
noun/ˈfʌstiən/
/ˈfʌstʃən/
[uncountable]- a thick strong cotton cloth with a slightly rough surface, used in the past for making clothes
Definitions on the go
Look up any word in the dictionary offline, anytime, anywhere with the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app.
- (literary) language that sounds impressive but does not mean much
Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French fustaigne, from medieval Latin fustaneum, from (pannus) fustaneus ‘cloth from Fostat’, a suburb of Cairo; sense (2) perhaps from the fact that fustian was sometimes used to cover pillows and cushions, implying that the language was “padded”; compare with bombast.
Check pronunciation:
fustian