Comments on: Highfalutin

By: Mr. Rick

Mr. Rick — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 18:48:06 +0000

I have heard this explanation before, or something similar. The better place to be was where the embers and ash from the “high fluted smokestacks” would pass over your head, rather than rain down upon you – as in the steerage seats. Paddle wheelers with high “fluted” stacks were more upscale.

By: Yoav

Yoav — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 09:36:13 +0000

While looking up on wikipedia some info about thomas mores famous book Utopia, we discovered that the narrators greek name was. “Hythlodaeus means “dispenser
of nonsense” ;

Maybe there is a link…

By: Adam B

Adam B — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 17:23:27 +0000

I’ve always wondered where this phrase came from. In the absence of actual knowledge, I came up with this origin. The term comes from the Greek architectural detail of “fluted” columns. Modern examples can be seen here. http://www.columns.us.com/fluted-columns/fluted-architectural-columns
Since larger more expensive homes would have tall pillars out front with higher fluting, one could say “that is some high fluting” or Highfalutin.

By: Tom W

Tom W — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 05:00:34 +0000

I was born and raised near Charlotte, NC, and I’ve never – not once in my life – heard highfalutin with a “g” at the end. I’m pretty sure that if I had, I would’ve been quick to point out that the person using that form of pronunciation was highfalutin themselves.

By: Angela Watershoo

Angela Watershoo — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 20:57:50 +0000

The word faluting comes from the French falut, which means salvation. A high faluting person is a person who is a religous zealot. The meaning became generalized to refer to all forms of arrogance.

By: Jaime LeBlond

Jaime LeBlond — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 04:37:25 +0000

I love this answer about the columns. My sister just developed a theory that the word highfalutin came from the latin word valute, which described a fluted or fancy trim around the top of a greek column. I thought it was brilliant and went searching and was thrilled to see your comment!

By: Harmon

Harmon — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 17:53:56 +0000

Always heard it as “highfaluting.”

Seems most reasonable to think it is a corruption of “high flaunting,” which is a little bit of a tongue twister.

By: Lisa B

Lisa B — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 00:55:45 +0000

I was just in New Glarus, Wisconsin at a Museum of artifacts and tools used back in the 1800s, 1900s and oe thing that was pointed out was a little iron that woman would use to make flute like crinkles into the colors of there blouses and thought that maybe it had to do with that. Different ranks of socialites and different wealthy groups maybe it came from that??

By: Emmaean

Emmaean — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 23:03:44 +0000

As one from old Southern US stock, I have believed for a long time that high falutin gained its origin in that the best statesrooms on the old paddlewheelers plying the Mississippi River were high up, and flanking the twin smokestacks. These smokestacks were often fluted to resemble the Greek Revival columns popular in the architecture of the day. Those of us (my ancestors, that is) down in the steerage called the inhabitants of those cabins “high falutin” speaking with our Southern drawl.

By: matt

matt — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 20:46:26 +0000

I thought it was something you apply a gradation to. Maybe there’s a situation is which we are lowfalutin of just middlefalutin. Can we be extremefalutin? Usually I’m just falutin if I’m lucky.

By: Greg

Greg — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 03:10:28 +0000

In the dseries/documentry “The adveture of English” it was suggested that highfalutin referred to the high flutes on the river boats. As opposed to the riff raff who sailed in small rafts using paddles called riffs.

By: David F

David F — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 02:14:30 +0000

I wonder if falutin’ might have come from flaunt or flaunting?

David.