affectation; pretension; showing off
Refers to an unnatural, self-conscious display of knowledge, talent, or style, often with a negative connotation of trying too hard to impress.
There is no affectation in the way he speaks.
I like writing that is free of pretension.
Usually written in kana; the kanji form 衒い is rare and may not be widely recognized.
Rare kanji form; the kana spelling is strongly preferred in modern usage.
Derived from the verb 衒う (てらう), meaning 'to show off' or 'to make a display of'. The noun form てらい carries the same core meaning of affectation.