pretentious
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
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[edit] English
[edit] Alternative forms
- prætentious (rare, pedantic or humorous)
[edit] Etymology
From French prétentieux, from prétention, from Latin praetensus (“false or hypocritical profession”), past participle of praetendō.
Note that pretentious is spelled with a ‘t’ (-tious), unlike related pretense, pretension. This is due to the French spelling: *-sious does not occur as an English suffix, though -sion and -tion both do.
[edit] Pronunciation
[edit] Adjective
pretentious (comparative more pretentious, superlative most pretentious)
- Marked by an unwarranted claim to importance or distinction.
- Their song titles are pretentious in the context of their basic lyrics.
- Ostentatious; intended to impress others.
- Her dress was obviously more pretentious than comfortable.
[edit] Synonyms
- poseur
- See also Wikisaurus:arrogant
[edit] Derived terms
[edit] Related terms
[edit] Translations
marked by an unwarranted claim to importance or distinction
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[edit] References
- ^ The Concise Oxford English Dictionary [Eleventh Edition]
- pretentious in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
- pretentious in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
- pretentious at OneLook Dictionary Search
