different between pretentious vs gewgaw
pretentious
English
Alternative forms
- prætentious (rare, pedantic or (esp. self-referentially) humorous)
Etymology
From French prétentieux, from prétention, from Latin praet?nsus (“false or hypocritical profession”), past participle of praetend?.
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.
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /p???t?n??s/
Adjective
pretentious (comparative more pretentious, superlative most pretentious)
- Intended to impress others; ostentatious.
- Her dress was obviously more pretentious than comfortable.
- Marked by an unwarranted claim to importance or distinction.
- Their song titles are pretentious in the context of their basic lyrics.
Synonyms
- poseur
- See also Thesaurus:arrogant
Antonyms
- unpretentious
Derived terms
- pretentiously
- pretentiousness
Related terms
- pretend
- pretender
- pretense
- pretension
Translations
References
- pretentious in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
- pretentious in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
- pretentious at OneLook Dictionary Search
Anagrams
- postuterine
pretentious From the web:
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gewgaw
English
Alternative forms
- geegaw
- gew-gaw
Etymology
From earlier gugaw, gygaw, from Middle English givegove (“gewgaw, trifle”), a reduplication of Middle English give, geove (“gift”), from Old English giefu, geofu, geafu (“gift”), from Proto-Germanic *geb? (“gift”). Compare Icelandic gyligjöf (“showy gifts, gewgaw”). More at give.
Pronunciation
- (UK) IPA(key): /??ju????/
- (General American) IPA(key): /??u??/
- (US) (cot-caught merger)
Noun
gewgaw (plural gewgaws)
- A showy trifle, a toy; a showy trinket, ornament or decoration. [from 15th c.]
- A heavy gewgaw called a crown.
- 1951, Isaac Asimov, Foundation (1974 Panther Books Ltd publication), part V: “The Merchant Princes”, chapter 11, page 163, ¶¶ 2–4:
- “I am not of the neighbourhood,” said Mallow, calmly, “but the matter is irrelevant. I have had the honour to send you a little gift yesterday?——” [¶] The tech-man’s nose lifted. “I received it. An interesting gewgaw. I may have use for it on occasion.” [¶] I have other and more interesting gifts. Quite out of the gewgaw stage.”
- 2011, Will Self, "The frowniest spot on Earth", London Review of Books, XXXIII.9:
- You or I may well view our desire to push buttons and order new electronic gewgaws as the mere reflex spasms of consumerism, but to this dynamic duo the future of the earth depends on our instant gratification more than anything else.
Translations
Adjective
gewgaw (not comparable)
- Showy; unreal; pretentious.
- 1678, Dryden, John, All for Love, Scene II,
- The rattle of a globe to play withal,
- This gewgaw world, and put him cheaply off;
- 1855, Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Maud; A Monodrama, X, stanza 1,
- Seeing his gewgaw castle shine,
- New as his title, built last year.
- 1678, Dryden, John, All for Love, Scene II,
Synonyms
- gewgawish
Derived terms
- Jew's harp (possibly)
gewgaw From the web:
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