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pretext

UK/ˈpɹiːtɛkst/US/ˈpɹiːtɛkst/
nounC1Common in everyday speech and writing · #7,534 of 15,258neutral

Other forms: pretexts

A pretext is a false reason given to hide the real one. On some pretext, a pretext for war, under the pretext of helping.

The construction is on or under the pretext of, and the word always implies that the real reason was worse. The Latin means something woven in front, which is exactly the picture: a cover story is a screen across the truth.

Definitions of pretext

  1. 1nounpretextA false reason given to hide the real one.C1

    “He visited her on the pretext of returning a book, but really he wanted to see her.”

pretext is an excuse.

Where it comes from

Latin praetextum means something woven in front — prae, before, plus texere, to weave. Textile is a relative.

  1. Proto-Indo-European

    *tetḱ-

  2. Latin

    praetextum — an ornament, etc., wrought in front, a pretense

  3. English, today

    pretext

Built from

  • praetexō · Latin — to weave before, fringe or border, allege

From Latin praetextum (“an ornament, etc., wrought in front, a pretense”), neuter of praetextus, past participle of praetexō (“to weave before, fringe or border, allege”).

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA

Practise this word

pretext in the wild

  • In its history, pretexting has been described as the first stage of social engineering, and has been used by the FBI to aid in investigations.

    Pretexting

  • A specific example of pretexting is reverse social engineering, in which the attacker tricks the victim into contacting the attacker first.

    Pretexting

  • In US law, a pretext usually describes false reasons that hide the true intentions or motivations for a legal action.

    Pretext

  • For Cato, every public speech became a pretext for a comment about Carthage.

    Pretext

  • The order was reportedly issued under the pretext that the villages would be protected.

    Požega villages massacre

From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. These sentences were written by other people about their own subjects; they are here to show the word at work, not as anybody’s opinion.