"characterized by or full of claims to greater excellence or importance than the truth merits," 1836, from French prétentieux (17c.), from prétention "pretension," from Medieval Latin pretentionem (nominative pretentio) "pretension," noun of action from past-participle stem of Latin praetendere (see pretend (v.)). Related: Pretentiously; pretentiousness.
a pretentious scholarly edition
a pretentious fraud
a pretentious country house
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