[ˈpriːtɛkst], (Noun)

Definitions:
- a reason given in justification of a course of action that is not the real reason
(e.g: the rebels had the perfect pretext for making their move)


Phrases:
- on the pretext

Origin:
early 16th century: from Latin praetextus ‘outward display’, from the verb praetexere ‘to disguise’, from prae ‘before’ + texere ‘weave’