presumido

Presumido is an adjective in Portuguese used to describe a person who acts with too much self-importance or who makes unwarranted assumptions about others. It often carries a pejorative nuance, implying arrogance, vanity, or a tendency to boast. In everyday speech, someone described as presumido is perceived as conceited or flashy, sometimes focusing on appearance or social status.

Besides its personal sense, presumido can also appear in technical or formal contexts with the meaning of “assumed” or “supposed.” For example, in medical or legal language one might encounter phrases such as diagnóstico presumido or hipótese presumida, indicating a provisional or supposed diagnosis or hypothesis. In these uses, the word retains the sense of something taken as a starting point rather than a final conclusion.

Etymology and related terms: presumido derives from presumir, which comes from Latin praesumere, meaning to presume or to undertake beforehand. Related words include presumir (to presume), presunção (presumption), and presumivelmente (presumably). Antonyms such as humilde or modesto contrast with presumido's confident, self-assertive sense. Synonyms in a negative register can include arrogante, convencido, for example, “Ele é tão presumido.”

Cultural notes: The term is common across Portuguese-speaking regions, with a similarly pejorative register in Brazil and Portugal. Depending on tone and context, it can be used playfully among friends or more harshly to criticize someone’s attitude.