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pretentiousness

[pri-ten-shuhs]

Origin

adjective

full of pretense or pretension.

characterized by assumption of dignity or importance.

making an exaggerated outward show; ostentatious.

Origin:
1835–45; earlier pretensious. See pretense, -ious

Related forms

pre·ten·tious·ly, adverb

pre·ten·tious·ness, noun

Can be confused: portentous, pretentious.

Synonyms
2. pompous. See bombastic. 3. showy. See grandiose.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Pretentiousness is always a great word to know.

So is callithumpian. Does it mean:

a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes.

a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal.

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Collins

World English Dictionary

pretentious (prɪˈtɛnʃəs)

—*adj*
1.	making claim to distinction or importance, esp undeservedly
2.	having or creating a deceptive outer appearance of great worth; ostentatious

pre'tentiously

—*adv*

pre'tentiousness

—n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline

Word Origin & History

pretentious

1845, from Fr. prétentieux (17c.), from prétention "pretension," from M.L. pretentionem (nom. pretentio) "pretension," from L.L. prætensus "pretend" (see pretense).

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Related Words

pretense pretension

put-on simplicity

Matching Quote

"The overall picture, as the boys say, is of a degraded community whose idealism even is largely fake. The pretentiousness, the bogus enthusiasm, the constant drinking and drabbing, the incessant squabbling over money, the all-pervasive agent, the strutting of the big shots (and their usually utter incompetence to achieve anything they start out to do), the constant fear of losing all this fairy gold and being the nothing they have never ceased to be, the snide tricks, the whole damn mess is out of this world."

-Raymond Chandler

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