spectacle-like
|spec-ta-cle-like|
🇺🇸
/ˈspɛktəkəlˌlaɪk/
🇬🇧
/ˈspɛktək(ə)lˌlaɪk/
resembling a show or striking display
Etymology
'spectacle-like' originates from English, formed by the noun 'spectacle' and the suffix '-like', where 'spectacle' ultimately comes from Latin 'spectaculum' and '-like' derives from Old English 'līc' meaning 'body, form'.
'spectacle' came from Latin 'spectaculum' into Old French as 'spectacle' and then into Middle English as 'spectacle'; the compound 'spectacle-like' developed in Modern English by combining 'spectacle' + the adjectival suffix '-like'.
Initially 'spectaculum' meant 'a show or public entertainment', which evolved into 'spectacle' meaning 'a remarkable or impressive sight'; 'spectacle-like' has come to mean 'resembling such a remarkable or impressive sight'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
resembling a spectacle; strikingly impressive, showy, or dramatic in appearance or effect.
Her entrance was deliberately spectacle-like to ensure all eyes were on her.
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Adjective 2
having the qualities of a public display or performance; suitable for attracting attention like a staged spectacle.
The city decorated the waterfront in a spectacle-like fashion for the festival.
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Last updated: 2025/09/16 20:40