English vocabulary · C1
Specious
/ˈspiːʃəs/ · adj.
It means seeming true or right, but actually false. It looks good only on the surface.
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Example sentences
- His specious excuse fooled no one at work.
- The ad made a specious claim about health.
Word origin and roots
from Latin
- spec — look (from Latin)
Synonyms and nuances
- MISLEADING — gives a wrong idea (Points The Wrong Way)
- DECEPTIVE — made to fool people (Meant To Trick)
- FALSE — not true (Simple & Direct)
Words with the same root
spec — look
- inspect — to look at closely
- spectator — person who watches
- suspect — to think someone is guilty
Lesson notes
Specious. It means seeming true or right, but actually false. It looks good only on the surface.
Related: misleading, deceptive, false. Use specious when something sounds right but is wrong.
His specious excuse fooled no one at work. The ad made a specious claim about health.
From Latin. Spec- means look. Something that looks right on the surface but is false inside — that is specious.