pseudo

See also: pseudo- and pseŭdo-

English

Etymology

From Middle English, derived from prefix pseudo-, itself derived from Ancient Greek ψευδής (pseudḗs, false, lying).

Pronunciation

  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈs(j)uːdəʊ/
  • Audio (Southern England):(file)
  • (US) IPA(key): /ˈsuːdoʊ/
  • Audio (US):(file)
  • Rhymes: -uːdəʊ
  • Homophone: sudo

Noun

pseudo (plural pseudos)

  1. (derogatory) An intellectually pretentious person; a pseudointellectual.
  2. A poseur; one who is fake.
  3. (travel industry, informal) pseudo-city code
  4. (Internet, clipping) A pseudonym; a false name used for online anonymity.
    • 2011, Divina Frau-Meigs, Media Matters in the Cultural Contradictions of the "Information Society", page 299:
      Issues such as verifiability (for age declared), anonymity (in spite of pseudos and avatars) and traceability are at stake []
  5. Clipping of pseudoephedrine.

Alternative forms

References

  • The Australian Concise Oxford Dictionary

Adjective

pseudo (not comparable)

  1. Other than what is apparent; spurious; sham.
    • 2024 August 31, Carole Cadwalladr, “Don’t rejoice yet, Elon Musk and his tech bros-in-arms are winning the global battle for the truth”, in Katharine Viner, editor, The Guardian[1], London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC:
      Last week saw perhaps the first major showdown between the pseudo cryptolibertarianism they both espouse and that old-fashioned, resolutely analogue concept known as the nation state. For anyone who has spent any time pondering the intergalactic levels of entitlement among the tech broligarchy and the – until now – total impunity they’ve faced, the arrest and subsequent charging of Durov was a singular moment.
      (Can we archive this URL?)
  2. Insincere.

Derived terms

Translations

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

References

  • The Australian Concise Oxford Dictionary

Anagrams

French

Etymology

Clipping of pseudonyme.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /psø.do/
  • Audio:(file)

Noun

pseudo m (plural pseudos)

  1. a nickname, handle or pseudonym

Further reading

Polish

Etymology

Clipping of pseudonim.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈpsɛw.dɔ/
  • Audio:(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɛwdɔ
  • Syllabification: pseu‧do
  • Homophone: pseudo-

Noun

pseudo n

  1. (colloquial) synonym of pseudonim

Declension

nouns
verbs
  • pseudonimizować impf
  • spseudonimizować pf

Further reading

  • pseudo in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
  • pseudo in Polish dictionaries at PWN