different between pseud vs pseudointellectual

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /su?d/
• Rhymes: -u?d
• Homophone: sued

Etymology 1

Possible clipping of pseudointellectual. From Ancient Greek ?????? (pseud?s, “false, lying”).

Noun

pseud (plural pseuds)

1. An intellectually pretentious person; a poseur

Derived terms

• pseudery

Related terms

• pseudo - variant

References

• The Australian Concise Oxford Dictionary

Etymology 2

Noun

pseud

1. (medicine, colloquial) Pseudomonas bacteria.

Etymology 3

Noun

pseud (plural pseuds)

1. (Internet slang) A pseudonym.

Anagrams

• SUDEP, dupes, spued

English

Etymology

pseudo- (“false, fake”) +? intellectual

Noun

pseudointellectual (plural pseudointellectuals)

1. A person who claims proficiency in scholarly or artistic activities while lacking in-depth knowledge or critical understanding.
2. A person who pretends to be of greater intelligence than he or she in fact is.

Usage notes

Usage is fraught, and pseudointellectual may be used as a general term of abuse for intellectuals one dislikes or disagrees with. Nevertheless, in more careful use a rather clear distinction is drawn: a pseudointellectual is someone dishonestly or insincerely using the language, style, or topics of an intellectual, but who lacks the goals, morals, or ability of a “genuine” intellectual. It is someone who acts pretentiously and wishes to win an argument or impress, rather than modestly trying to find the truth – a focus on surface and rhetoric over content. These often involve a superficial understanding of a subject and condescension to the audience, as well as possible self-delusion (not being consciously dishonest, but rather sincerely thinking oneself to be behaving as a genuine intellectual despite one's incompetence).

Synonyms

• pseud
• pseudo

See also

• See also Thesaurus:deceiver
• charlatan
• fraud
• sophist

Adjective

pseudointellectual (comparative more pseudointellectual, superlative most pseudointellectual)

1. Pretentiously or insincerely intellectual.

References

• Sydney J. Harris, circa 1981 November 20 (syndicated column), published as “Distinctions Between Intellectuals And Pseudo-Intellectuals” (mirror) in the Detroit Free Press, (11/20/81) and “Telling the real from the pseudo”, Sarasota Journal, Nov 23, 1981, among others