Porkies

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A slang term for lies or falsehoods, typically used in a lighthearted or humorous context
2. Referring to exaggerations or untruths often told to amuse or deceive others
3. A playful characterization of untruths that lacks seriousness or gravitas

Etymology: Rhyming slang gave this word its most famous twist: "porky" is a clipping of "pork pie", which rhyming slang turned into "porky pie" for "lie". The plural "porkies" is simply the plural of that clipped form, so it carries the same sense of a fib told for fun rather than a serious deception. The shortening to "porky" is a separate step. "Pork" traces back to Latin "porcus", meaning pig, which reached English through Old French, while the "-y" ending is a common English suffix attached to form a casual, familiar word. Another clipping, from "porcupine", is also cited as a source for the form, so the word's shape reflects more than one shortened pig-related term.

Synonyms: lies, falsehoods, untruths, fabrications, fibs

Antonyms: truths, facts, verities, realities, certainties