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English Lexicon

Pretensive

/prɪˈtɛn.sɪv/
adjectiveCEFR C2 (Proficient)Top #28450 frequency
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Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

2 senses
As adjective
  1. 1

    Based on or characterized by pretense; feigned, affected, or ostentatious.

    "His pretensive display of generosity failed to convince anyone who knew his true motives."
  2. 2

    Serving as a claim or pretext; alleged or professed.

    "The pretensive justification for the policy change was quickly dismantled by the audit committee."
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Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

Derived from Late Latin praetensus, past participle of praetendere (to stretch forth, allege, pretend), combining prae- (before) and tendere (to stretch). The term entered the English language in the early 17th century, retaining the archaic sense of being alleged, ostensible, or feigned.

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