highfalutin
Pretentious or fancy in a trying-too-hard way.
Also called high-falutin, hifalutin, highfaluting.
Updated September 24, 2026
highfalutin pronunciation
/high-fuh-LOOT-in/
Meaning
Highfalutin is shade for people, talk, or manners that act above their raisin'. Fancy words, airs, clothes that look like they came from somewhere that charges for parking. In redneck talk it's how you cut somebody down without cussin': that highfalutin nonsense won't fly around here.
How folks use it
- “Don't give me that highfalutin talk; just say what you mean.”
- “She got all highfalutin after one semester at the big school.”
Origin and etymology
American slang from about 1839. Exact roots are uncertain. Dictionaries often guess high-flown, high-flying, or high plus fluting. It spread nationwide as folk speech, and rural Southern speakers kept it handy for calling out pretension.
Frequently asked questions
Is highfalutin always an insult?
Usually yes. It can be playful ribbing among kin, but it still means you're actin' too fancy for the room.