Dictionary.com

spurious

[ spyoor-ee-uhs ]
/ ˈspyŹŠÉ™r i əs /
Save This Word!
See synonyms for: spurious / spuriousness on Thesaurus.com

adjective
not genuine, authentic, or true; not from the claimed, pretended, or proper source; counterfeit.
Biology. (of two or more parts, plants, etc.) having a similar appearance but a different structure.
of illegitimate birth; bastard.

COMPARE MEANINGS

Click for a side-by-side comparison of meanings. Use the word comparison feature to learn the differences between similar and commonly confused words.
QUIZ
THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?
Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.
Question 1 of 7
In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

Origin of spurious

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

OTHER WORDS FROM spurious

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Ā© Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use spurious in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for spurious

spurious
/ (ˈspjŹŠÉ™rÉŖÉ™s) /

adjective
not genuine or real
(of a plant part or organ) having the appearance of another part but differing from it in origin, development, or function; falsea spurious fruit
(of radiation) produced at an undesired frequency by a transmitter, causing interference, etc
rare illegitimate

Derived forms of spurious

spuriously, adverbspuriousness, noun

Word Origin for spurious

C17: from Latin spurius of illegitimate birth
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition Ā© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 Ā© HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
FEEDBACK