pretentious

Meanings

• Adjective

  Assuming an affectation of superiority or importance; making a show of having more knowledge or refinement than one actually possesses.

  - "The artist's pretentious speech about his work left the audience confused."
  - "His pretentious behavior at the dinner party made everyone uncomfortable."

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Antonyms

unpretentious

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Synonyms

poseur

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Rhymes

Words rhyming with pretentious
precious , delicious , obnoxious

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Variants

List of all variants of pretentious that leads to same result
pretentious , pretentiously , pretentiousness , pretentiousnesses

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Etymology

origin and the way in which meanings have changed throughout history.

From the Latin 'pretendere,' meaning 'to claim, to put forward for consideration,' from 'prae-tenere,' 'to hold before.'

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Trivia

Any details, considerations, events or pieces of information regarding the word

1. The term 'pretentious' was first used in English literature in the 16th century.

2. In French cuisine, a 'pretentious' dish might be one that is overly complex or difficult to prepare, requiring advanced skills or expensive ingredients.

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Related Concepts

informations on related concepts or terms closely associated with the word. Discuss semantic fields or domains that the word belongs to

1. arrogance: A feeling of self-importance or superiority, often accompanied by a disregard for the opinions or feelings of others.

2. snobbery: A discriminatory or contemptuous attitude towards those perceived as being of a lower social class or having less refined tastes.

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Quotes

Quotes by authors and personalities

1. She seemed at that first meeting a little "pretentious" and a would-be intellectual—she was studying sociology in the States, a subject which thrives on banalities and abstract jargon …

   - Graham Greene,{it}Getting to Know the General{/it},1984

2. … and then a P.S. running into 20 pages both sides of the paper and coming back to the top of page one—Hegel, Nietzsche, Emerson, Gide, Beethoven, Suarez—all the boys trotted out in reams of "pretentious" blather.

   - Myles na gCopaleen (Flann O'Brien),{it}The Best of Myles{/it},1968

3. To anyone ignorant of the underlying physics, it might seem the most arrogant and "pretentious" necromancy.

   - Carl Sagan,{it}Contact{/it},1985

4. It is hard to be "pretentious" or elevated in Yiddish, and easy to poke fun.

   - Cynthia Ozick,{it}New Yorker{/it},28 Mar. 1988

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Culture

Any cultural, historical, or symbolic significance of the word. Explore how the word has been used in literature, art, music, or other forms of expression.

In literature, pretentious characters are often depicted as trying too hard to impress others with their supposed intellect or refinement. In art, pretentious works may be criticized for being overly complex or difficult to understand, lacking in authenticity or emotional resonance. In music, a pretentious musician might be seen as focusing more on their image or reputation than on the quality of their performance.

How to Memorize "pretentious"

1. visualize
   

   - Visualize a person making exaggerated gestures and speaking in a pompous tone to remember the meaning of pretentious.

2. associate
   

   - Associate the word with the image of a person trying to impress others with their supposed knowledge or refinement.

3. mnemonics
   

   - Create a mnemonic by remembering the phrase 'Putting on the Airs' to help remember the meaning of pretentious.

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