fallacy

[fal-uh-see]

noun

plural

fallacies 

1. a deceptive, misleading, or false notion, belief, etc..

   That the world is flat was at one time a popular fallacy.

   Synonyms: misapprehension, delusion, misconception

2. a misleading or unsound argument.

3. deceptive, misleading, or false nature; erroneousness.

4. Logic.,  any of various types of erroneous reasoning that render arguments logically unsound.

5. Obsolete.,  deception.

fallacy

/ ˈfæləsɪ /

noun

1. an incorrect or misleading notion or opinion based on inaccurate facts or invalid reasoning

2. unsound or invalid reasoning

3. the tendency to mislead

4. logic an error in reasoning that renders an argument logically invalid

fallacy

1. A false or mistaken idea based on faulty knowledge or reasoning. For example, kings who have divorced their wives for failing to produce a son have held to the fallacy that a mother determines the sex of a child, when actually the father does. (See sex chromosomes.)

Word History and Origins

Origin of fallacy¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; from Latin fallācia “a trick, deceit,” from fallāc- (stem of fallāx ) “deceitful” + -ia -y ³; replacing Middle English fallace, from Middle French

Word History and Origins

Origin of fallacy¹

C15: from Latin fallācia , from fallax deceitful, from fallere to deceive

Example Sentences

The promise is that we can shape behavior; the fallacy is that the power rarely reaches beyond cosmetic concessions.

From Salon

The jury for her joint trial with Sollecito was never sequestered, guaranteeing the barrage of outrageous fallacies surrounding the proceedings tainted their judgment.

From Salon

“One of the fallacies is that this is only targeting Latinos. If you look at the Vietnamese, Cambodian, Hmong, Chinese, even Japanese communities, they’re being picked up right in court.”

From Los Angeles Times

And as long as we believe in this fallacy of separation, that’s going to continue.”

From Los Angeles Times

The view that history is teleological, that it is goal-directed, is a fallacy believed in by Christians, conservatives, liberals and Marxists alike.

From Salon

Related Words

• deception 
• falsehood 
• heresy 
• inconsistency 
• misinterpretation www.thesaurus.com
• paradox 
• untruth