Pretense Definition
prētĕns, prĭ-tĕns
pretenses
noun
pretenses
A false appearance or action intended to deceive.
American Heritage
A claim, esp. an unsupported one, as to some distinction or accomplishment; pretension.
Webster's New World
Something imagined or pretended.
American Heritage
A false reason or plea; pretext.
Webster's New World
A false show of something.
Webster's New World
Synonyms:
Other Word Forms of Pretense
Noun
Singular:
pretensePlural:
pretensesOrigin of Pretense
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Middle English from Old French pretensse from Medieval Latin praetēnsa from Late Latin feminine of praetēnsus alteration of Latin praetentus past participle of praetendere to pretend, assert pretend
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
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From Middle French pretensse, from Late Latin prætensus, past participle of prætendere (“to pretend"), from præ- (“before") + tendere (“to stretch"); see pretend.
From Wiktionary
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