apocryphal

[ uh-pok-ruh-fuhl ]
See synonyms for apocryphal on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. of doubtful authorship or authenticity.

  2. Ecclesiastical.

    • (initial capital letter) of or relating to the Apocrypha.

    • of doubtful sanction; uncanonical.

  1. false; spurious: He told an apocryphal story about the sword, but the truth was later revealed.

Origin of apocryphal

1
First recorded in 1580–90; apocryph(a) + -al1

Other words from apocryphal

  • a·poc·ry·phal·ly, adverb
  • a·poc·ry·phal·ness, noun

Words Nearby apocryphal

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use apocryphal in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for apocryphal

apocryphal

/ (əˈpɒkrɪfəl) /


adjective
  1. of questionable authenticity

  2. (sometimes capital) of or like the Apocrypha

  1. untrue; counterfeit

Derived forms of apocryphal

  • apocryphally, adverb

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