apocryphal

[ uh-pok-ruh-fuh l ]

/ əˈpɒk rə fəl /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR apocryphal ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

of doubtful authorship or authenticity.

Ecclesiastical.

(initial capital letter) of or relating to the Apocrypha.
of doubtful sanction; uncanonical.

false; spurious: He told an apocryphal story about the sword, but the truth was later revealed.

Nearby words

apocrine chromesthesia, apocrine gland, apocrine metaplasia, apocrine sweat gland, apocrypha, apocryphal, apocryphal gospels, apocynaceous, apocynthion, apodal, apodeictic

Origin of apocryphal

First recorded in 1580–90; apocryph(a) + -al¹

Related forms

a·poc·ry·phal·ly, adverba·poc·ry·phal·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for apocryphal

The quote is apocryphal, but that has not changed its significance for Army football players.
A West Point MVP Who Never Played a Down|Nicolaus Mills|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
There are plenty of examples of Christians editing Jewish apocryphal traditions for their own communities.
Jesus Christ, Baby Daddy?|Candida Moss|November 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Many of the quotes are mysteriously sourced, apocryphal, or misattributed.
Russell Brand’s Revolution For Morons|Michael Moynihan|November 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Lovely stuff, but someone should tell the future congresswoman that every one of these quotes is apocryphal.
Fire the Crackpots of Congress! (And Replace Them with New Crackpots!)|Michael Moynihan|October 27, 2013|DAILY BEAST

As far as regards Demosthenes, I think we may fairly conclude that the story is apocryphal.
Notes & Queries,No. 31., Saturday, June 1, 1850|Various
Some of these are apocryphal, and not confirmed by the canonical scriptures of India.
The Christ|John Eleazer Remsburg
Daniel, on the other hand, in the apocryphal Haggada, gets his dinner miraculously from the Prophet Habakkuk.
The Expositor's Bible: The Book of Daniel|F. W. Farrar
The fourteen letters of Seneca to Paul, which are printed in the old editions of Seneca, are apocryphal.
Notes and Queries, Number 191, June 25, 1853|Various
The testimony of other apocryphal writings of early date might be adduced, but for the sake of brevity it is here omitted.
Companion to the Bible|E. P. Barrows

British Dictionary definitions for apocryphal

apocryphal

/ (əˈpɒkrɪfəl) /

adjective

of questionable authenticity

(sometimes capital) of or like the Apocrypha

untrue; counterfeit

Derived Forms

apocryphally, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012