Pretext
/ˈpriː.tɛkst/noun
A reason given to hide the real cause or intention.
Did you know?Pretext comes from Latin praetextus, the past participle of praetexere, meaning “to weave in front of” or “cover over,” so the word’s original image is something concealed by a woven layer.
Etymological Timeline
Latin root
Latin
praetexere
“to weave in front of, cover over, or adorn with a border”
Classical Latin
Latin
praetextus
“covered over; also a bordered garment, especially one with a purple edge”
Late Latin
Latin
praetextum
“a covering, excuse, or pretext”
Old French
Old French
pretexte
“an excuse or ostensible reason”
14th–15th Century
English
pretext
“an ostensible reason or excuse for an action”
Modern English
English
pretext
“a false or stated reason used to conceal the real one”