pretension
pronunciation
How to pronounce pretension in British English:
UK [prɪˈtenʃn]
How to pronounce pretension in American English:
US [prɪˈtɛnʃən]
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- Noun:
- a false or unsupportable quality
- the advancing of a claim
- the quality of being pretentious (creating a false appearance of great importance or worth)
Word Origin
- pretension (n.)
- mid-15c., "assertion, allegation; objection; intention; signification," from Medieval Latin pretensionem (nominative praetensio), noun of action from past participle stem of Latin praetendere "stretch in front, put forward, allege" (see pretend (v.)). Meaning "unproven claim" is from c. 1600. Sense of "ostentation" is from 1727.