"pseud" definition, meaning, and origin

Noun derogatory

An intellectually pretentious person; a poseur.
- He and two friends were known as “the three pseuds” among the rest of the boys, who thought them too clever by half. - 2012 November 9, Decca Aitkenhead, “Robbie Coltrane: ‘I take no nonsense’”, in The Guardian:

Possible clipping of pseudointellectual. From Ancient Greek ψευδής (pseudḗs, “false, lying”).