pretentious

Alternative formsEdit

• prætentious (rare, pedantic or humorous)

EtymologyEdit

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.

PronunciationEdit

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /pɹɪˈtɛnʃəs/^[1]

AdjectiveEdit

pretentious (comparative more pretentious, superlative most pretentious)

1. Marked by an unwarranted claim to importance or distinction.

   Their song titles are pretentious in the context of their basic lyrics.

2. Ostentatious; intended to impress others.

   Her dress was obviously more pretentious than comfortable.

SynonymsEdit

• poseur
• See also Wikisaurus:arrogant

AntonymsEdit

• unpretentious

Derived termsEdit

• pretentiously
• pretentiousness

Related termsEdit

• pretend
• pretender
• pretense
• pretension

TranslationsEdit

ReferencesEdit

1. ^ 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