fallacy
[ fal-uh-see ]
/ ˈfæl ə si /
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noun, plural fal·la·cies.
a deceptive, misleading, or false notion, belief, etc.: That the world is flat was at one time a popular fallacy.
a misleading or unsound argument.
deceptive, misleading, or false nature; erroneousness.
Logic. any of various types of erroneous reasoning that render arguments logically unsound.
Obsolete. deception.
SYNONYMS FOR fallacy
QUIZZES
QUIZ YOURSELF ON PARENTHESES AND BRACKETS APLENTY!
Set some time apart to test your bracket symbol knowledge, and see if you can keep your parentheses, squares, curlies, and angles all straight!
Question 1 of 7
Let’s start with some etymology: What are the origins of the typographical word “bracket”?
First appeared around 1750, and is related to the French word “braguette” for the name of codpiece armor.
First appeared in 1610, based on the French word “baguette” for the long loaf of bread.
First appeared in 1555, and is related to the French word “raquette” for a netted bat.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT Origin of fallacy
1350–1400; <Latin fallācia a trick, deceit, equivalent to fallāc- (stem of fallāx) deceitful, fallacious + -ia-y3; replacing Middle English fallace<Middle French
Words nearby fallacy
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
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British Dictionary definitions for fallacy
fallacy
/ (ˈfæləsɪ) /
noun plural -cies
an incorrect or misleading notion or opinion based on inaccurate facts or invalid reasoning
unsound or invalid reasoning
the tendency to mislead
logic an error in reasoning that renders an argument logically invalid
Word Origin for fallacy
C15: from Latin fallācia, from fallax deceitful, from fallere to deceive
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
Cultural definitions for fallacy
fallacy
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.)
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.