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pretentious

Syllabification: (pre·ten·tious)
Pronunciation: /priˈtenCHəs/
Translate pretentious | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of pretentious

adjective

  • attempting to impress by affecting greater importance, talent, culture, etc., than is actually possessed:a pretentious literary device

Derivatives

pretentiously

adverb

pretentiousness

noun

Origin:

mid 19th century: from French prétentieux, from prétention (see pretension1)

pretentious in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of pretentious in the British & World English dictionary

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