PRETENSION Meaning of PRETENSION in English ■ noun1》 ( ~ to ) a claim or aspiration to something. 2》 pretentiousness.OriginME: from med. L. praetensio(n-) , from praetens- 'alleged', from praetendere (see pretend ). Concise Oxford English vocab. Сжатый оксфордский словарь английского языка. 2004