affectatious

Affectatious is an adjective meaning characterized by affectation or exhibiting an artificial, pretentious display of manner, speech, or emotion. The term carries a negative connotation, describing behavior that seems contrived rather than sincere.

Etymology: The word derives from affectation plus the -ous suffix; affectation comes from the French affectation, from Latin affectatio, from affectare “to aim at, to pretend.” The adjective affectatious appears in English to describe such contrived display.

Usage: Affectatious is chiefly used in formal or critical writing. It can describe actors, rhetorical style, fashion, or public behavior that appears designed to impress. It is less common in everyday speech and is often found in discussions of mannerisms or performance rather than ordinary conduct.

Related terms: It is close in meaning to affected, pretentious, ostentatious, or artificial. Antonyms include genuine, natural, spontaneous. Related noun affectation and related adjective affected are connected etymologically and semantically.

Notes: The term is relatively rare in contemporary usage and is more likely to be found in historical or literary contexts.