Where does braggadocious come from?

The word braggadocious is based on the noun braggadocio, which means “empty bragging” or “a boastful or proud person.” Braggadocio is derived from the name Braggadocchio, a boastful character in Edmund Spenser‘s epic poem The Faerie Queene, published in 1590. Braggadocious appeared much later—its first recorded use comes from the 1850s. It was originally an American word and is still primarily used in the United States.

A person who’s braggadocious isn’t just egotistical or arrogant. They’re egotistical and arrogant and they prove it by constantly bragging about how good they are at something or about their achievements. Their boasts are often about pointless or unimportant things, or small accomplishments that they exaggerate into bigger ones. Usually, when someone is described as braggadocious, their entire personality seems based around boasting.

Braggadocious is usually used negatively, but sometimes it’s used in a way that’s more neutrally descriptive. For instance, the lyrics of certain rap artists are often braggadocious because part of hip-hop culture is finding the most creative way to brag about being rich and famous, especially in the context of having overcome poverty.