French word

prétendant

Pronunciation

IPA/pʁetɑ̃dɑ̃/

Meaning

  • masculine nounsuitor

Example

Elle a un nouveau prétendant.

She has a new suitor.

Illustration for prétendant (suitor)

More examples

Elle accepte finalement son prétendant.

She finally accepts her suitor.

Core concept

Someone presenting themselves as a possible partner, claimant, or contender.

Common phrases

  • refuser un prétendant

    reject a suitor

  • avoir plusieurs prétendants

    have several suitors

  • un prétendant sérieux

    a serious suitor

Similar words

soupirant: A person who quietly shows romantic interest in someone.
séducteur: A person who attracts someone through words or behavior.
admirateur: A person who admires someone from afar.

Definition in French

Personne qui, par ses avances, vise à obtenir le mariage avec une autre personne.

Word origin

Prétendant is a noun formed from the verb prétendre and its -ant participle ending, while prétendre developed from Latin praetendere, "to put forward."

Usage tips

  • English "pretender" does not cover the common French sense of a marriage suitor, so context is needed when translating prétendant.

Other meanings

  • candidatenoun
  • challengernoun

Related words

Word lists with this word