An intellectually pretentious person; a pseudointellectual.
"The pseudo dismissed the simple solution as too obvious for someone of his supposed sophistication."
In plain English: A pseudo is someone who pretends to be something they are not, usually by copying another person's style or identity without actually being them.
"The journalist was exposed for being nothing more than an impostor posing as a respected expert."
Usage: Use the noun form to describe someone who feigns intelligence or sophistication without genuine understanding, often in contrast to those with actual expertise. Avoid confusing this specific insult with general terms for fake objects, which typically require different phrasing depending on context.
(often used in combination) not genuine but having the appearance of
"a pseudo esthete"
"pseudoclassic"
Other than what is apparent; spurious; sham.
"The company's claim of being eco-friendly was merely pseudo, as they continued to dump toxic waste into the river."
In plain English: Pseudo means something that looks real but is actually fake.
"The website claimed to be secure, but it was just a pseudo-secure scam designed to steal passwords."
The word comes from the Ancient Greek prefix pseudo-, which means "false" or "lying." It entered English through Middle English.