c. 1300, "ostentation and display," especially on parade, from Old French pompe "pomp, magnificence" (13c.) and directly from Latin pompa "procession, pomp," from Greek pompē "solemn procession, display, escort," literally "a sending," from pempein "to send," which is of unknown etymology. In Church Latin, used in deprecatory sense for "worldly display, vain show." The meaning "feeling of arrogance and vanity" (usually paired alliteratively with pride) is from early 14c.
