Fraudulent

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈfɹɔː.d͡ʒʊ.lənt/

Definitions

1. Involving deception or trickery intended to gain an unfair or dishonest advantage
2. Characterized by deliberate dishonesty or misrepresentation designed to deceive others for personal gain or unfair benefit
3. Obtained, created, or conducted through intentional deception or false claims meant to trick someone into giving money, property, or trust

Etymology: Latin "fraus" meant deceit, harm, or a wrong done through trickery, and "fraudulentus" was the adjective built from it: full of deceit. The word arrived in English through Middle English, having passed through Old French, so it is a learned borrowing from Latin rather than a word that grew up in the vernacular. Its core sense has stayed remarkably steady across the centuries, always tied to intent to deceive. The Latin root "fraus" is also the source of "fraud" itself, which entered English from Old French "fraude" and carries the same underlying notion of cheating. "Fraudulent" simply adds the adjectival suffix, turning the noun for a deceitful act into a description of anything produced by such an act, whether a contract, a claim, or a conviction obtained under false pretences.

Synonyms: deceptive, dishonest, crooked, false, insincere

Antonyms: honest, genuine, trustworthy, authentic, truthful