Poseur
/poʊˈzɜːr/noun
A person who pretends to be what they are not, especially to impress others.
Did you know?It comes from French poser, “to pose,” ultimately from Latin pausare, “to pause or stop,” so the word’s hidden history is about freezing yourself into a deliberate stance.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
pausare
“to pause, stop, or cease”
Old French
Old French
poser
“to place, set down, or pose”
Middle French
French
poseur
“one who poses; a person who affects an attitude”
19th Century
English
poseur
“a person who affects a particular style, attitude, or identity”
Modern English
English
poseur
“a person who pretends to be something they are not, especially to impress others”