spurious
AdjectiveUS[spyoor-ee-uhs]/ˈspjʊriəs/3 syllablesalso [spur-ee-uhs] /ˈspɝiəs/
Open English WordNet
Adjective (4)
- ostensibly valid, but not actually valid“a spurious argument”Opposite validSimilar invalid
- plausible but false“a specious claim”“spurious inferences”Synonyms: speciousOpposite trueSimilar false
- born out of wedlock“the dominions of both rulers passed away to their spurious or doubtful offspring — E.A.Freeman”Synonyms: bastardlymisbegotmisbegottenOpposite legitimateSimilar illegitimate
- false or fake; not what it appears to be“a spurious work of art”Synonyms: inauthenticunauthenticOpposite echtSimilar counterfeit, imitative
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Webster's Dictionary (1913)
Spu′ri·ous (spū′rĭ-ŭs), adjective
Origin: L. spurius.
1. Not proceeding from the true source, or from the source pretended; not genuine; counterfeit; false; adulterate.
2. Not legitimate; bastard; as, spurious issue. “Her spurious firstborn.” John Milton
Spurious primary, or Spurious quill Zoology, the first, or outer, primary quill when rudimentary or much reduced in size, as in certain singing birds. — Spurious wing Zoology, the bastard wing, or alula.
Synonyms: Counterfeit; false; adulterate; supposititious; fictitious; bastard.
— Spu′wb-a1′>′ri·ous·ly, adverb — Spu′wb-a1′>′ri·ous·ness, noun
Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), from GCIDE 0.54