spurious

[spyoor-ee-uhs]

adjective

1. not genuine, authentic, or true; not from the claimed, pretended, or proper source; counterfeit.

   Synonyms: deceitful, meretricious, phony, feigned, mock, bogus, sham, false
   Antonyms: genuine

2. Biology.,  (of two or more parts, plants, etc.) having a similar appearance but a different structure.

3. of illegitimate birth; bastard.

spurious

/ ˈspjʊərɪəs /

adjective

1. not genuine or real

2. (of a plant part or organ) having the appearance of another part but differing from it in origin, development, or function; false

   a spurious fruit

3. (of radiation) produced at an undesired frequency by a transmitter, causing interference, etc

4. rare,  illegitimate

Other Word Forms

• spuriously adverb
• spuriousness noun
• nonspurious adjective
• nonspuriously adverb
• nonspuriousness noun
• unspurious adjective
• unspuriously adverb
• unspuriousness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of spurious¹

1590–1600; < Latin spurius bastard, perhaps < Etruscan; -ous

Word History and Origins

Origin of spurious¹

C17: from Latin spurius of illegitimate birth

Example Sentences

Now we have a president who is literally selling the place to the highest bidders, all justified on spurious comparisons with some changes Barack Obama made on a much smaller scale.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The court has allowed the president to terminate government contracts for spurious and often retaliatory reasons.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

While QAnon's spurious narratives revolve around US figures, the theory has taken hold in some parts of Canada and the rest of the world.

Read more on BBC

Brown considered the allegation spurious, and said it had no foundation in reality.

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International rights organizations, including Amnesty International, say the charges are spurious and politically motivated and that López is being denied the right to a fair trial.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• bogus 
• false 
• phony 
• specious