so-called

American  

[soh-kawld] / ˈsoʊˈkɔld /

adjective

1. called or designated thus.

   the so-called Southern bloc.

2. incorrectly called or styled thus.

   so-called intellectuals.

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so-called British  

adjective

1. 1. (prenominal) designated or styled by the name or word mentioned, esp (in the speaker's opinion) incorrectly

      a so-called genius

   2. ( also used parenthetically after a noun )

      these experts, so-called, are no help

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Etymology

Origin of so-called

First recorded in 1650–60

Example Sentences

On Tuesday, China announced a broad ban on the export to Japan of so-called dual-use goods with potential military applications.

From The Wall Street Journal

That period six years ago saw Australia's most severe fire season on record, the so-called "Black Summer" of 2019-20 where dozens of people died and thousands of hectares of land was burnt.

From BBC

But analysts said profits were unlikely any time soon from either company -- the first two IPOs among China's so-called "six tigers", generative AI providers competing with tech giants such as Alibaba and ByteDance.

From Barron's

Recent moves in the bond market have set up a so-called bull steepening in the Treasury curve, where short-term yields fall more quickly than longer-dated yields.

From Barron's

Now, the industry’s leaders are shifting attention toward the next big thing in retail—so-called agentic commerce, or the use of AI tools or agents to find and purchase merchandise.

From Barron's

Related Words

• alleged
• formal
• purported
• self-styled