poseur

[ poh-zur; French paw-zœr ]
See synonyms for poseur on Thesaurus.com
noun,plural po·seurs [poh-zurz; French paw-zœr]. /poʊˈzɜrz; French pɔˈzœr/.
  1. a person who attempts to impress others by assuming or affecting a manner, degree of elegance, sentiment, etc., other than their true one.

Origin of poseur

1
From French, dating back to 1880–85; see origin at pose1, -eur

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use poseur in a sentence

  • They were devotees of learned music; “poseurs,” others said, who pretended to admire works they did not understand at all.

    Musical Memories | Camille Saint-Sans
  • Poseurs have said that nature is garish or exaggerated more often than not; but it is a libel.

  • "Yes, I am, where poseurs are concerned," said Falloden coldly.

    Lady Connie | Mrs. Humphry Ward

British Dictionary definitions for poseur

poseur

/ (pəʊˈzɜː) /


noun
  1. a person who strikes an attitude or assumes a pose in order to impress others

Origin of poseur

1
C19: from French, from poser to pose 1

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012