counterfeit

[koun-ter-fit]

adjective

1. made in imitation so as to be passed off fraudulently or deceptively as genuine; not genuine; forged.

   counterfeit dollar bills.

   Synonyms: bogus, spurious

2. pretended; unreal.

   counterfeit grief.

   Synonyms: ersatz, fake, mock, make-believe, pretend, feigned, sham

noun

1. an imitation intended to be passed off fraudulently or deceptively as genuine; forgery.

   Synonyms: sham, falsification

2. Archaic.,  a copy.

3. Archaic.,  a close likeness; portrait.

4. Obsolete.,  impostor; pretender.

verb (used with object)

1. to make a counterfeit of; imitate fraudulently; forge.

   Synonyms: falsify, copy

2. to resemble.

3. to simulate.

verb (used without object)

1. to make counterfeits, as of money.

2. to feign; dissemble.

counterfeit

/ ˈkaʊntəfɪt /

adjective

1. made in imitation of something genuine with the intent to deceive or defraud; forged

2. simulated; sham

   counterfeit affection

noun

1. an imitation designed to deceive or defraud

2. archaic,  an impostor; cheat

verb

1. (tr) to make a fraudulent imitation of

2. (intr) to make counterfeits

3. to feign; simulate

4. (tr) to imitate; copy

Other Word Forms

• counterfeiter noun
• counterfeitly adverb
• counterfeitness noun
• noncounterfeit adjective
• uncounterfeited adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of counterfeit¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; (adjective) Middle English countrefet “false, forged,” from Anglo-French cuntrefet, Old French contrefait, contrefet, past participle of contrefaire, contrefere “to copy, imitate,” equivalent to conter- counter- + fere “to make, do,” ultimately from Latin facere ( fact ); (verb) Middle English countrefeten, verbal derivative of countrefet

Word History and Origins

Origin of counterfeit¹

C13: from Old French contrefait, from contrefaire to copy, from contre- _counter- + faire to make, from Latin facere

Synonym Study

See false.

Example Sentences

There have been no allegations that the sneakers are counterfeit, the company said.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Without those safeguards, explained Barton, prescribers can miss vital conditions that make treatment unsafe, or channel counterfeit and unlicensed products on to the market.

Read more on BBC

One of the things I liked about “French Connection” was the heroin making and the counterfeiting.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

A new campaign from the IPO called Fake Toys, Real Harms is aiming to highlight the dangers of buying counterfeit items.

Read more on BBC

According to the IPO, the online seller who Alan bought the medication from managed to sell 211 batches of suspected counterfeit pet medications and supplements.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• bogus 
• copied www.thesaurus.com
• false 
• fictitious 
• forged www.thesaurus.com
• fraudulent 
• phony 
• spurious