Pseudo

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈs(j)uːdəʊ/

Definitions

1. Something that superficially appears to be genuine but is primarily characterized by its deceptive nature or imitation of authenticity
2. Something that appears to be real or true but is actually fake or not what it purports to be
3. Appearing to be authentic or true but is actually false or misleading

Etymology: Ancient Greek "pseudḗs" meant simply "false" or "lying," and it was used of people who deceived, as well as of statements that were untrue. Greek writers and philosophers used it in discussions of truth and falsehood, and it eventually became a building block for a whole family of English words. The prefix "pseudo-" carries that original sense of falsity into compounds, so that something "pseudo" pretends to be what it is not. The adjective "pseudo" in English is a different matter from the prefix. It reached Middle English from the Greek root through the same channel as many learned words, and it kept the core meaning of falsehood, applied to things that look genuine but are not. The sense is the same one a modern reader would expect: something that seems authentic on the surface while being fake underneath.

Synonyms: false, sham, imitation

Antonyms: genuine, authentic