Ma'anar ƙamus na kalmar "showboat" suna ne da ke nufin babban jirgin ruwa mai launi, da ƙayyadadden kwale-kwale ko kwale-kwalen da ake amfani da su don nishaɗi, kamar wasan kwaikwayo na kiɗa, wasan kwaikwayo, ko wasan circus, yawanci a ƙarshen 19th da farkon karni na 20. Kalmar "kwale-kwale" tana iya nufin mutumin da ke neman kulawa ko kuma ya nuna hali ta hanyar bangaranci ko zazzagewa, sau da yawa don burge wasu ko nishadantarwa. A matsayin fi’ili, “showboating” na nufin nuna hali ko bangaranci domin burge wasu.