pretensivenessn.
/prᵻˈtɛnsᵻvnᵻs/, U.S. /priˈtɛnsəvnəs/, /prəˈtɛnsəvnəs/ Now rare (chiefly U.S.).† 1. A claim or title to something; = pretension n.1 4b. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
society > morality > dueness or propriety > [noun] > claiming as due or right
pretence1425
pretension1585
vindicating1624
asserting1644
pretensiveness1710
1710 C. Shadwell Fair Quaker of Deal iii. 35 What Pretensiveness have you to it, Sirrah?
2. Chiefly U.S. Pretentiousness.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > pride > pretension to superiority > [noun]
pensifulnessc1450
affectation1548
affection1570
affectedness1622
lady aira1637
fastuousness1649
gentility1650
fastuosity1656
vapouring1656
flatulency1662
hoity-toity1668
pretendingness1701
with an air1701
pretension1706
flatulence1711
uppishness1716
high and mightiness1771
pensieness1825
fine-gentlemanism1831
pretentiousness1838
ambitiousness1845
stuckupishness1853
pretensiveness1859
notion1866
side1870
dog1871
hoity-toityism1881
superiority complex1921
snootiness1932
uppitiness1935
snottiness1973
snoot1984
swag2002
1859 B. P. Shillaber Knitting-work 401 I dare say none of 'em was any better than they ought to be; and what a to-do they made, to be sure, because they thought she was guilty! O, I despise sich pretensiveness!
1873 C. Cushing Treaty of Washington 80 A man of large stature and dignified presence; of the high breeding of rank, but without pretensiveness.
1876 W. M. Taylor Ministry of Word 56 Guilty of the same pretensiveness.
1996 Hamburgers in ba.food (Usenet newsgroup) 16 Oct. The complete lack of pretension (in Palo Alto, the Peninsula's capitol of pretensiveness) is a welcome change.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2007; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1710