pretentiously
|pre/ten/tious/ly|
C1
/prɪˈtɛnʃəsli/
(pretentious)
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Etymology
Etymology Information
'pretentious' originates from the Latin word 'praetendere,' where 'prae-' meant 'before' and 'tendere' meant 'to stretch.'
Historical Evolution
'praetendere' transformed into the French word 'prétentieux,' and eventually became the modern English word 'pretentious.'
Meaning Changes
Initially, it meant 'to stretch forth or put forward,' but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'attempting to impress by affecting greater importance.'
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adverb 1
in a manner that attempts to impress by affecting greater importance or merit than is actually possessed.
He spoke pretentiously about his achievements.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/02/07 08:13