different between superb vs pretentious

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin superbus.

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /su?p?b/, /s??p?b/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /sju??p??b/, /su??p??b/
• Rhymes: -??(?)b
• Hyphenation: su?perb

Adjective

superb (comparative superber, superlative superbest)

1. First-rate; of the highest quality; exceptionally good.

   • Captain Edward Carlisle […] felt a curious sensation of helplessness seize upon him as he met her steady gaze, […]; he could not tell what this prisoner might do. He cursed the fate which had assigned such a duty, cursed especially that fate which forced a gallant soldier to meet so superb a woman as this under handicap so hard.

2. Grand; magnificent; august; stately.

3. (dated) Haughty.
   • 1858, Julia Kavanagh, Adèle, a Tale: Volume 2 (p.235):

     A remark which Isabella received with a superb curl of the lip, but at the same time, and to her brother's infinite relief, she walked away.

Synonyms

• excellent
• superlative

Derived terms

• superbly

Translations

Anagrams

• BUPERS, Repubs

German

Alternative forms

• süperb

Etymology

Borrowed from French superbe, from Latin superbus.

Pronunciation

Adjective

superb (not comparable)

1. superb

Declension

Further reading

• “superb” in Duden online

Romanian

Etymology

From French superbe, from Latin superbus.

Adjective

superb m or n (feminine singular superb?, masculine plural superbi, feminine and neuter plural superbe)

1. superb

Declension

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)

1. Intended to impress others; ostentatious.

   Her dress was obviously more pretentious than comfortable.

2. 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