pretender
pretender Lexical Profile
pretender Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A person who feigns qualities, beliefs, feelings, or expertise that they do not genuinely possess; an impostor or hypocrite.
"It did not take the seasoned musicians long to realize that the self-proclaimed maestro was merely a pretender."
A person who claims or aspires to a title, throne, or high position, especially without a legitimate right or while another holds it.
"The exiled prince was regarded by the ruling dynasty as a dangerous pretender to the throne."
• Rhymes for pretender
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
First recorded in the late 14th century, formed from the verb 'pretend' (from Latin 'praetendere', meaning 'to stretch forth' or 'to put forward as a claim') plus the agentive suffix '-er'. The historical sense of a claimant to a royal throne emerged in the late 17th century, notably applied to the exiled Stuart claimants to the British crown.