different between hypocrisy vs pretence

English

Etymology

From Middle English ipocrisie, from Old French ypocrisie, from Late Latin hypocrisis, from Ancient Greek ????????? (hupókrisis, “answer, stage acting, pretense”), from ??????????? (hupokrínomai, “I reply”), from ??? (hupó, “under, equivalent of the modern "hypo-" prefix”) + the middle voice of ????? (krín?, “I separate, judge, decide”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /h??p?k??si/
• (US) IPA^(key): /h??p?k??si/

Noun

hypocrisy (countable and uncountable, plural hypocrisies)

1. The contrivance of a false appearance of virtue or goodness, while concealing real character or inclinations, especially with respect to religious and moral beliefs; hence in general sense, dissimulation, pretence, sham.
2. The claim or pretense of having beliefs, standards, qualities, behaviours, virtues, motivations, etc. which one does not really have. [from early 13th c.]
3. The practice of engaging in the same behaviour or activity for which one criticises another; moral self-contradiction whereby the behavior of one or more people belies their own claimed or implied possession of certain beliefs, standards or virtues.
4. An instance of any or all of the above.

Synonyms

• hypocriticality
• hypocriticalness

Related terms

• hypocritic
• hypocritical
• hypocritically
• hypocrite

Translations

Further reading

• hypocrisy at OneLook Dictionary Search
• hypocrisy on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

English

Alternative forms

• pretense (American spelling)
• prætence (archaic)

Etymology

From Middle French pretensse, from Late Latin praet?nsus (past participle of praetend? (“to pretend”), from prae- (“before”) + tend? (“to stretch”)).

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /?p?i?t?ns/
• (UK) IPA^(key): /p???t?ns/
  • Rhymes: -?ns
• Hyphenation: pre?tence

Noun

pretence (countable and uncountable, plural pretences)

1. (British spelling) An act of pretending or pretension; a false claim or pretext.
   • 1995, Charlie Lewis, Peter Mitchell, Children?s Early Understanding Of Mind: Origins And Development, p.281,

     In pilot work we have used the method described in Experiment 2 on children?s memory for the content of their own false beliefs and pretence and asked them to differentiate between belief and pretence.

   • 2005, Plato, Lesley Brown (translator), Sophist, 231b.

     That part of education that turned up in the latest phase of our argument, the cross-examination of the empty pretence of wisdom, is none other, we must declare, than the true-blooded kind of sophistry.

2. Something asserted or alleged on slight evidence; an unwarranted assumption.
3. (obsolete) Intention; design.

Translations