extravaganza meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

extravaganza

noun

US, UK /ɪkˌstɹæv.əˈɡæn.zə/

Etymology From Italian stravaganza under influence from English extravagance.

An extravagant or eccentric piece of music, literature, or drama, originally associated with Victorian England.

The ingenious method was hit upon of dove-tailing extravaganza and pantomime. A long burlesque, the characters in which have nothing to do with the harlequinade, terminates with one of those elaborate and gorgeous displays which have acquired the name of “Transformation Scenes.”1879, James Planché, “The Island of Jewels”, in The Extravaganzas of J. R. Planché, esq., page 8:
It grew out of the Victorian “extravaganza” style, which took serious opera and literature and applied broad comic satire (usually with music) that played to the masses.2018 February 23, Cassie Tongue, “The Empire Strips Back: how a Star Wars parody took the burlesque world by storm”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:

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It starts with The Visitors, an icy, electronic track in which authoritarian agents hammer on the door of a fearful dissident – not the Abba you expected to come calling in this trailblazing, retro-futurist extravaganza of a show.2022 June 4, Kitty Empire, “Abba Voyage review – a dazzling retro-futurist extravaganza”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:

Broadly An instance of fantastical, unrestrained, lavish, or chaotic behaviour or conduct.

The bride had her heart set on a simple wedding, but her parents insisted on a three-hundred-guest extravaganza.
I find myself on Christmas day with people who are so tedious that a trip to the john appears an extravaganza by comparison.1983 December 24, Nancy A. F. Langer, “The Nuclear Family Holiday Blues”, in Gay Community News, volume 11, number 23, page 15:

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Maybe he’s throwing a Great Gatsby–themed cocktail hour as part of his wedding extravaganza!2025 June 30, Alexandra Petri, “With the Big, Beautiful Bill, You Can Now Sponsor a Billionaire of Your Choosing”, in The Atlantic: