Standard Lemma guide

Pretendian

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • prĭ-tĕn′dē-ən
  • Australian, Received-Pronunciation: /pɹɪˈten.diː.ən/
  • Australian, Received-Pronunciation, also: /pɹɪˈtɛn.diː.ən/
  • Canada, General-American, Scotland: /pɹɪˈtɛn.di.ən/
  • Canada, General-American, Scotland, also: /pɹɪˈtɛn.di.ʌn/
  • New-Zealand: /pɹəˈten.diː.ən/
  • India: /pɾɪˈʈɛ(ː)n.ɖiː.an/
  • rhymes with -ɛndi.ən

1

noun

Meaning 1

A person who falsely claims to have Native American or Indigenous Canadian ancestry.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: derogatory, informal

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Alternative letter-case form of Pretendian

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: alt-of

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Blend of pretend + (Ind)ian. By surface analysis, pretend + -ian.

Across languages

Translations

2 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Polish: samozwańczy Indianin — a person who falsely claims to have Native American or Indigenous Canadian ancestry
  • Polish: samozwańcza Indianka — a person who falsely claims to have Native American or Indigenous Canadian ancestry