pseud

1 of 3

noun

ˈsüd 

British

: a person who pretends to be an intellectual

pseud

2 of 3

abbreviation

pseudonym; pseudonymous

pseud-

3 of 3

combining form

variants or pseudo-

1

: false : spurious

pseudoclassic

2

: temporary or substitute formation similar to (a specified thing)

pseudopodium

3

: resembling, isomeric with, or related to (a specified chemical compound)

pseudoephedrine

Examples of pseud in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Salutes to two pop music artists (X-Ray Spex and David Johansen) are preferable to Laura Poitras’s nauseating politicization of cultural pseud-activist Nan Goldin. —Armond White, National Review, 6 Jan. 2023

Mr Baudet is dismissed by the establishment as a pseud-in-a-suit, but his calls for the Dutch to leave the EU resonate. —The Economist, 28 Mar. 2018

Her son, Art, is a hapless nature blogger and pointless pseud. —Dwight Garner, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2018

Word History

Etymology

Noun

short for pseudo-intellectual

Combining form

Greek, from pseudēs, from pseudesthai to lie; akin to Armenian sut lie and probably to Greek psychein to breathe — more at psych-

First Known Use

Noun

1964, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

pseud-

combining form

variants or pseudo-

: not genuine : fake

Etymology

Combining form

derived from Greek pseudēs "false"