Specious

By Deane Barker • •

Definition: having a false look of truth or genuineness

It comes from the Latin word meaning “beautiful.” The implication is that it’s something that looks good on the surface.

Why I Looked It Up

I was researching what to call things like The Lost Cause Argument or Donald Trump’s lies about the 2020 election. I posted a question to the English Stack Exchange, and this was one of the answers (actually, a comment).

Several people also mentioned “truthiness.”

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