spectacle means an exciting or extraordinary scene, exhibition, performance etc. It carries an Arena rating of 1875, earned across 10 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, spectacle ranks #558 of 17,134 for Most Malleable Words, #1,251 of 17,127 for Words That Escaped Their Books, #1,971 of 17,143 for Best Fossil-Poetry Words, #2,904 of 17,126 for Most Elegant Words.
spectacle is pronounced /ˈspɛktəkl̩/.
Why “spectacle” is a great word
A visually striking or remarkable event, display, or scene, often presented for public viewing. From Middle English spectacle, from Middle French spectacle, from Latin spectāculum ("a show, spectacle"), from spectō ("to see, behold"), from speciō ("to see"). Unlike "scene"—a quiet vista or private moment—or "exhibition"—a curated display of objects—a spectacle can be accidental, natural, or performed; its essence is its arresting visual demand. It is the lurid fireball of a meteor crossing the dusk, the ordered chaos of a military parade through crowded streets, and the shocking grace of a whale breaching beside a silent boat. Each seizes not just the eye but the breath, reminding us that to witness is to surrender, briefly, to wonder.
Etymology
From Middle English spectacle, from Middle French spectacle, from Latin spectāculum (“a show, spectacle”), from spectō (“to see, behold”), frequentative of speciō (“to see”). See species. Doublet of spectaculum.
noun
- An exciting or extraordinary scene, exhibition, performance etc.e.g.“The horse race was a thrilling spectacle.”
- An embarrassing or unedifying scene or situation.e.g.“He made a spectacle out of himself.”
- The brille of a snake.
- A frame with different coloured lenses on a semaphore signal through which light from a lamp shines at night, often a part of the signal arm.
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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