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prétendant

suitor

noun preh-tahn-DAHN Rare
People & Society Relationships

Origin: Latin 'praetendere' (to put forward, to claim)

Also means

claimant

Usage Note

Prétendant primarily means a suitor or wooer — a man who seeks a woman's hand in marriage — common in historical and literary contexts. It also means a claimant to a throne: le prétendant au trône (the pretender to the throne). The feminine prétendante exists but is rarer. The related verb prétendre means 'to claim' rather than 'to pretend' — a classic false friend for English speakers.

Examples

"Elle avait trois prétendants qui voulaient l'épouser."

Natural Translation

She had three suitors who wanted to marry her.

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