pretentiousness
虚飾
解説 Definition
自分を実際より重要であるかのように見せる態度。不正当な、または根拠のない誇示。
Pretentiousness is the quality of trying to seem more important, intelligent, or cultured than you really are. It is often used in criticism of people, writing, art, or behavior that feels too showy or unnatural. The word has a negative meaning.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
まず土台は pretentious = 「気取った・もったいぶった」。そこに -ness が付いて「そういう性質・態度」になり、pretentiousness で「気取り、見栄っ張りさ」。覚えるときは plain ではなく unnecessarily fancy に見せたがる感じをセットで。a pretentious restaurant, pretentious language のように、実質以上に上品・知的・高級そうに演出する場面で出やすい。単なる pride や confidence ではなく、“中身以上にそれっぽく見せる”ニュアンスが核。
Build it from `pretentious` plus `-ness`. The base word suggests trying too hard to look smart, classy, or important, so `pretentiousness` is that quality. Think of `plain` versus `unnecessarily fancy` to keep the feeling clear. It is not simple confidence, but showing more style than substance.
例文
The pretentiousness of his speech annoyed everyone.
彼のスピーチの見栄っ張りな態度は皆を怒らせた。
She disliked the pretentiousness of expensive restaurants.
彼女は高級レストランの見栄っ張りな雰囲気が嫌いだった。
His pretentiousness masked his insecurity.
彼の見栄っ張りさは彼の不安感を隠していた。
pretentiousness の類義語・関連語
pretentiousness の語源・成り立ち Etymology
pretentiousness は praetendere（前に差し出す）由来で、pre-『前へ』+ tend『伸ばす』+ -ous + -ness の形です。もとは『前に掲げる』が転じて『実以上によく見せる』となり、extend や tension と同じ語根だと見栄っ張りの感じがつかめます。
Pretentiousness comes from pretentious, which goes back through French and Latin to Latin praetendere, meaning "to stretch out in front" or "put forward." It combines prae- "before" and tendere "to stretch," the same root seen in extend, tension, and tender. The sense shifted from "presenting something" to "making oneself seem more important than reality," and -ness was added to form the noun.
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