pseudo - definition of pseudo - synonyms, pronunciation, spelling from Free Dictionary

WordNet 3.0

Noun (1)

a person who makes deceitful pretensesSynonyms: imposter impostor pretender fake faker fraud sham shammer pseud role player

Adjective (1)

(often used in combination) not genuine but having the appearance of“a pseudo esthete”“pseudoclassic”

Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Pseudo- \Pseu"do-\ [Gr. pseydh`s lying, false, akin to psey`dein to belie; cf. psydro`s lying, psy`qos a lie.] A combining form or prefix signifying false, counterfeit, pretended, spurious; as, pseudo-apostle, a false apostle; pseudo-clergy, false or spurious clergy; pseudo-episcopacy, pseudo-form, pseudo-martyr, pseudo-philosopher. Also used adjectively. [1913 Webster]

Free On-line Dictionary of Computing

pseudo

<jargon> /soo'doh/ (Usenet) Pseudonym.

1.An electronic-mail or Usenet persona adopted by a human for amusement value or as a means of avoiding negative repercussions of one's net.behaviour; a "nom de Usenet", often associated with forged postings designed to conceal message origins. Perhaps the best-known and funniest hoax of this type is BIFF.

2.Notionally, a flamage-generating AI program simulating a Usenet user. Many flamers have been accused of actually being such entities, despite the fact that no AI program of the required sophistication yet exists. However, in 1989 there was a famous series of forged postings that used a phrase-frequency-based travesty generator to simulate the styles of several well-known flamers; it was based on large samples of their back postings (compare Dissociated Press). A significant number of people were fooled by the forgeries, and the debate over their authenticity was settled only when the perpetrator came forward to publicly admit the hoax. [Jargon File]

(1995-03-13)

The Jargon File

pseudo /soo'doh/, n. [Usenet: truncation of ‘pseudonym’]

1.An electronic-mail or Usenet persona adopted by a human for amusement value or as a means of avoiding negative repercussions of one's net.behavior; a ‘nom de Usenet’, often associated with forged postings designed to conceal message origins. Perhaps the best-known and funniest hoax of this type is B1FF. See also tentacle.

2.Notionally, a flamage-generating AI program simulating a Usenet user. Many flamers have been accused of actually being such entities, despite the fact that no AI program of the required sophistication yet exists. However, in 1989 there was a famous series of forged postings that used a phrase-frequency-based travesty generator to simulate the styles of several well-known flamers; it was based on large samples of their back postings (compare Dissociated Press). A significant number of people were fooled by the forgeries, and the debate over their authenticity was settled only when the perpetrator came forward to publicly admit the hoax.