pretentious — attempting to impress by affecting greater importance, talent, culture, etc., than is actually possessed
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: attempting to impress by affecting greater importance, talent, culture, etc., than is actually possessed
Pronunciation (IPA): /prɪˈtenʃəs/
Example Sentences
- The coffee shop's pretentious menu had items like 'artisanal foam meditation' for $15.
- He thought quoting Shakespeare would make him sound intelligent, but it just came across as pretentious.
- The movie was so pretentious that even the popcorn felt overdressed.
pretentious
ADJECTIVE[/prɪˈtenʃəs/]
attempting to impress by affecting greater importance, talent, culture, etc., than is actually possessed
Showing off fake sophistication
The pretentious critic grows contentious, while the guard stays conscientious
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Latin 'praetentiosus', derived from 'praetendere' meaning 'to stretch before' or 'to claim falsely', combining 'prae-' (before) and 'tendere' (to stretch or extend).
Breakdown
prae- (before) + tendere (to stretch/claim) + -ious (full of, characterized by) = pretentious (characterized by false or exaggerated claims)
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The coffee shop's pretentious menu had items like 'artisanal foam meditation' for $15.”
“He thought quoting Shakespeare would make him sound intelligent, but it just came across as pretentious.”
“The movie was so pretentious that even the popcorn felt overdressed.”
“She avoided pretentious language when explaining complex theories to her students.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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