Pomp is elaborate ceremony and splendid display meant to show importance and grandeur. When a graduation includes professors in flowing robes, formal music, and students processing down the aisle in careful order, that's pomp. When a royal coronation features golden carriages, trumpet fanfares, and officials in magnificent costumes, that's pomp at its most extravagant.

The word suggests impressive ceremony that might feel a bit over the top. There's often a hint that all this pageantry exists to make an event or person seem more important. A simple wedding at city hall has no pomp, while a wedding with a twenty-person orchestra, ice sculptures, and guests announced by name as they enter has considerable pomp.

You'll often hear the phrase pomp and circumstance, which means all the formal ceremony surrounding an important occasion. When people criticize too much pomp, they're suggesting that the showy display matters more than the actual meaning of what's being celebrated. But pomp can also make special moments feel truly special: sometimes a little extra ceremony helps everyone recognize that something important is happening.