Boasy
Also spelled: boasie, bwoasy
Meaning
Showy, proud, and eager to flaunt what one has — describing a person who dresses flashy, brags, or carries themselves with visible self-importance. Unlike plain 'proud', it emphasises outward display and can be admiring or mocking.
Examples
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“Him too boasy wid di new car, a drive up an dung di road.”
He's too showy with the new car, driving up and down the road.
Here it leans toward gentle mockery of someone flaunting.
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“She dress boasy fi di party.”
She dressed flashily for the party.
'boasy' modifies how she dressed — attention-grabbing, stylish.
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“A boasy man dat, love mek people know weh him have.”
That's a boastful man, he loves letting people know what he owns.
Fronted 'a boasy man dat' is a common emphatic construction.
Origin
Derived from English 'boast' with the adjectival '-y' ending; the vowel shifts to a diphthong ('bwoa-') typical of Jamaican pronunciation.
How it's used
Can be a compliment when it means confidently stylish, or a criticism when it means arrogantly flaunting. Tone and relationship between speakers determine which is meant.