pseud

UK: /ˈsjuːd/ US: (so̅o̅d)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

pseud  (so̅o̅d), Informal.
n. 

1. Informal Terms a person of fatuously earnest intellectual, artistic, or social pretensions.

adj. 

2. Informal Terms of, pertaining to, or characteristic of a pseud.

• by shortening of pseudointellectual or parallel compounds with pseudo- 1960–65

pseud-, 

1. var. of pseudo- before a vowel: pseudepigraphy.

pseud., 

1. pseudonym.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

pseud / sjuːd/ noun

1. a false, artificial, or pretentious person

adjective

1. another word for pseudo

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

pseudo-, prefix. 

1. • pseudo- comes from Greek, where it has the meaning "false;
     pretended;
     unreal'':
     pseudo- + intellectual → pseudointellectual (= a person pretending to be an intellectual).
   • pseudo- is also used to mean "closely or deceptively resembling'':
     pseudo- + -pod- → pseudopod (= a part of an animal that closely resembles a foot).

Also,[esp. before a vowel,] pseud-. 

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

pseu•do  (so̅o̅′dō), adj. 

1. not actually but having the appearance of;
   pretended;
   false or spurious;
   sham.
2. almost, approaching, or trying to be.

• independent use of pseudo- 1940–45

pseudo-, 

1. a combining form meaning "false,'' "pretended,'' "unreal,'' used in the formation of compound words (pseudoclassic;
   pseudointellectual): in scientific use, denoting close or deceptive resemblance to the following element (pseudobulb;
   pseudocarp), and used sometimes in chemical names of isomers (pseudoephedrine).

Also, esp. before a vowel, pseud-. 

• Greek, combining form of pseudé̄s false, pseûdos falsehood