PRETENDER Meaning and
Definition
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A pretender is an individual who falsely claims or feigns to possess a certain status, title, position, or attribute. This term is often associated with someone who asserts a right to a specific role or position, especially if they lack the legitimacy or qualifications that are typically required for such a position. Pretenders may attempt to deceive others by assuming a false identity or by adopting a false persona, creating an impression of authority or importance that is not grounded in reality.
The term "pretender" can be used in various contexts. In a historical or political context, it refers to a claimant to a throne or a position of power, who asserts that they are the rightful heir or successor, despite lacking the necessary legal or hereditary qualifications. In this sense, a pretender usually challenges the current regime's legitimacy by asserting their own right to rule.
In a more general context, a pretender can refer to someone who pretends to possess certain skills, knowledge, abilities, or traits that they do not actually possess. It can also allude to someone who creates a false impression of wealth, social status, or success in order to deceive or impress others.
Overall, a pretender is an individual who fraudulently presents themselves as something they are not, often with the intention of gaining power, status, or advantages that they would not otherwise have.
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One who lays claim to anything under the pretence of a right; in Eng. hist., a name applied to the son and grandson of James II., the heirs to the house of Stuart, who laid claim to the British crown, from which their house had been excluded by enactment of Parliament.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
Top Common Misspellings for PRETENDER *
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
Other Common Misspellings for PRETENDER
Etymology of PRETENDER
The word "pretender" originated from the Old French word "pretendre", which meant "to lay claim to or profess". It is derived from the Latin word "prætendere", which breaks down into "præ" (before, in front of) and "tendere" (to stretch, extend). Together, "prætendere" implies stretching or putting forward a claim, often falsely, to something or someone. Thus, over time, "pretender" came to refer to someone who lays claim or professes to a title, position, or quality they may not possess.
Similar spelling words for PRETENDER
- pratincole,
- Pruden,
- pretence,
- prudence,
- prudent,
- preteenager,
- protean,
- pretended,
- pretend,
- pretentious,
- pretending,
- preteen,
- pretense,
- proton,
- protein,
- pretension,
- pro tem.
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