Etymology of Ostentatious?

Question

Vocab homework assignment i am confused about:
Explain why the word ostentatious means what is means, considering its Latin origins.
(Ostentatious means showy, but i want to know why.)

Answer 1

It's from the Latin ostendere, meaning "to show". You can find the etymology under the definition in any dictionary.

Answer 2

Below are some etymology of the word:

Ostentatious -showiness: a vulgar display of wealth and success designed to impress people (disapproving) .

[15th century. Via Old French from the Latin stem ostentation- , from ostentare “to display, exhibit,” from ostendere (see ostensible).]

rich and showy: marked by a vulgar display of wealth and success designed to impress people (disapproving)

os·ten·si·ble [o sténsəb’l] adj
seeming to be true or genuine, but open to doubt: presented as being true or appearing to be true, but usually hiding a different motive or meaning

[Mid-18th century. Via French from medieval Latin ostensibilis , from Latin ostensus , perfect participle of ostendere “to show,” literally “to stretch before,” from tendere “stretch, spread” (source of English tension).]

Answer 3

Ostentation comes from Latin ostentatio, ostentation-, from ostentare, "to display," frequentative of ostendere, "to hold out, to show," from ob-, obs-, "in front of, before," + tendere, "to stretch, to stretch out, to present."

Answer 4

Try this website:
http://www.etymonline.com/