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Pretentious

//pɹɪˈtɛn.t͡ʃəs// adj

Definitions

Adjective

1
Motivated by an inappropriate, excessive, or unjustified desire to impress others.
"Her dress was obviously more pretentious than comfortable."
2
Marked by an unwarranted claim to importance or distinction.
"Their song titles are pretentious in the context of their basic lyrics."

Adjective

1
intended to attract notice and impress others wordnet
2
making claim to or creating an appearance of (often undeserved) importance or distinction wordnet
3
(of a display) tawdry or vulgar wordnet

Etymology

From French prétentieux, from prétention, from Latin praetēnsus (“false or hypocritical profession”), past participle of praetendō. Note that pretentious is spelled with a ‘t’, unlike related pretense, pretension. This is due to the French spelling: *-sious does not occur as an English suffix, though -sion and -tion both do.

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