Pretext

How to spell pretext

7 letters · 2 syllables

How to pronounce pretext

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does pretext mean?

1. nounA false or stated reason given to hide the real purpose behind an action.

Pretext in a sentence

• He used a sudden headache as a pretext to leave the meeting early.

• The inspection was just a pretext for searching the building.

Where does pretext come from?

Language of origin: Latin

This word comes from the Latin praetextus, the noun form of the verb praetexere, which literally meant 'to weave in front' or 'to fringe' from prae- meaning 'before' and texere meaning 'to weave'. The Romans used it to describe something placed at the front as a covering, and from that came the figurative sense of an outward show that conceals what lies behind it. English borrowed the word in the early 1500s, already carrying the idea of an alleged reason offered to disguise the true motive. The same texere root sits inside the everyday words 'text', 'texture' and 'textile', all of which trace back to the notion of weaving. Remembering that pretext is a 'text' (a woven cover) put 'pre' (before) the real reason helps fix the straightforward spelling.

How the word is built

• pre- (before, in front)
• text (from Latin texere: to weave)