apocryphal

WOTD – 10 October 2007    

See also Apocryphal

English

Pronunciation

• (RP) IPA: /əˈpɒkɹɪfəl/, /əˈpɒkɹəfəl/
• (US) IPA: /əˈpɑːkɹɪfəl/, /əˈpɑːkɹəfəl/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Etymology

From Late Latin apocryphus secret, not approved for public reading, from Greek apokryphos hidden, obscure, thus (books) of unknown authorship, from apo- away + kryptein to hide. Properly plural (the single would be apocryphon), but commonly treated as a collective singular. Apocryphal of doubtful authenticity is from 1590.

Adjective

apocryphal (comparative more apocryphal, superlative most apocryphal)

1. Of, or pertaining to, the Apocrypha.
2. Of doubtful authenticity, or lacking authority; not regarded as canonical.

   Many scholars consider the stories of the monk Teilo to be apocryphal.

3. Of dubious veracity; of questionable accuracy or truthfulness; anecdotal or in the nature of an urban legend.

   There is an apocryphal tale of a little boy plugging the dike with his finger.

   • 1749, John Cleland, Fanny Hill: Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure Part 3

     Charles, already dispos'd by the evidence of his senses to think my pretences to virginity not entirely apocryphal, smothers me with kisses, begs me, in the name of love, to have a little patience, and that he will be as tender of hurting me as he would be of himself.

Related terms

Apocrypha apocryphalist

apocryphally apocryphalness

Translations

of doubtful authenticity

• Bulgarian: апокрифен (bg) (apokrifen)
• Chinese: 杜撰的
• Dutch: apocrief (nl)
• Esperanto: apokrifa (eo)
• Finnish: apokryfinen (fi)
• French: apocryphe (fr)
• German: unecht (de)
• Icelandic: vafasamur að uppruna (is) m, vafasamur (is) m, af vafasömum uppruna (is), apókrýfur (is) m

• Italian: apocrifo (it)
• Japanese: 典拠が疑わしい, うその
• Portuguese: apócrifo (pt)
• Serbo-Croatian: apokrifan (sh)
• Spanish: apócrifo (es)
• Swedish: apokryfisk (sv)

of dubious veracity; urban legend

• Bulgarian: недостоверен (bg) (nedostoveren), съмнителен (bg) (sǎmnitelen)