pretension
noun, verb
pretension is spelled P-R-E-T-E-N-S-I-O-N: 10 letters and 3 syllables. It appears about once in every 5 million words in written English, the 63,645th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, pretension means “A claim or aspiration to a particular status or quality” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of pretension is pretensions.
How many letters and syllables are in pretension?
| Letters | 10: P-R-E-T-E-N-S-I-O-N |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 3 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | about once in every 5 million words; the 63,645th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is pretension?
Pretension appears about once in every 5 million words in written English, the 63,645th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce pretension?
Pretension has 3 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Forms of pretension
- pretensions plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- pretensioning participle, present
- pretensioned participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does pretension mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
A claim or aspiration to a particular status or quality.
- 2
Pretentiousness.
verb
- 1
To apply tension to an object before some other event or process.
- 2
To apply tension to reinforcing strands before concrete is poured in.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Pretension in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | prétention |
| Portuguese | pretensão |
| Spanish | pretensión , pretención |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does pretension come from?
From Middle English pretencioun, pretensioun, from Medieval Latin prētēnsiō.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).