World Languages Lexicon
10 Language-to-English Dictionariessans prétention
Pronunciation / Transliteration: sã pʁe.tã.sjɔ̃
"Il mènait une vie simple et sans prétention."
Comprehensive Definitions & Senses
2 senses- 1
Not arrogant or showy; modest and unpretentious.
"Despite his enormous wealth, he lived in an unassuming house in the suburbs." - 2
Inconspicuous or unobtrusive in appearance or character.
"The restaurant has an unassuming exterior that hides its world-class kitchen."
Thesaurus & Semantic Spectrum
Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology
The word is formed from the English negative prefix 'un-' combined with 'assuming', which derives from the verb 'assume' (from Latin 'assumere', meaning 'to take to oneself' or 'claim'). Over time, 'assuming' developed the secondary sense of being arrogant or presumptuous, leading 'unassuming' to mean free from pretension, arrogance, or affectation.
Which of the following is the closest synonym for "Unassuming"?
10 Global Lexicons: How "Unassuming" is said worldwide
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sans prétention
Transliteration: sã pʁe.tã.sjɔ̃
"Il mènait une vie simple et sans prétention."
bescheiden
Transliteration: bəˈʃaɪ̯dn̩
"Er ist ein sehr bescheidener Mensch geblieben."
senza pretese
Transliteration: ˈsɛntsa preˈteze
"Hanno trovato un albergo piccolo e senza pretese."
modesto
Transliteration: moˈðesto
"Vivía en una casa modesta a las afueras de la ciudad."
despretensioso
Transliteration: des.pɾe.tẽ.siˈo.zu
"Eles frequentavam um café simples e despretensioso."
विनम्र
Transliteration: vinamra
"वह एक बहुत ही विनम्र और साधारण व्यक्ति है।"
谦逊的
Transliteration: qiānxùn de
"他过着低调而谦逊的生活。"
겸손한
Transliteration: gyomsonhan
"그는 늘 겸손하고 소박한 태도를 유지했다."
控えめな
Transliteration: hikaemena
"彼は非常に控えめな人柄の持ち主だ。"
Related Vocabulary Words to Explore
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Causing strong emotional or ideological reactions because it relates to political issues, power dynamics, or government policies.
Deliverance from harm, ruin, or loss; the state of being saved.
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