specious

specious

plausible but false; based on pretense; deceptively pleasing: His incorrect conclusion arose from specious reasoning.

Not to be confused with:

spacious – large in expanse or scope; roomy: a spacious auditorium

Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree

spe·cious

 (spē′shəs)

adj.

1. Having the ring of truth or plausibility but actually fallacious: a specious argument.

2. Deceptively appealing: "It is easy enough to give the old idea [of programmatic music] a specious air of modernity" (Aaron Copland).

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[Middle English, attractive, from Latin speciōsus, from speciēs, appearance; see spek- in Indo-European roots.]

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spe′cious·ly adv.

spe′ci·os′i·ty (-shē-ŏs′ĭ-tē), spe′cious·ness (-shəs-nĭs) n.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

specious

(ˈspiːʃəs)

adj

1. apparently correct or true, but actually wrong or false

2. deceptively attractive in appearance

[C14 (originally: fair): from Latin speciōsus plausible, from speciēs outward appearance, from specere to look at]

ˈspeciously adv

ˈspeciousness n

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

spe•cious

(ˈspi ʃəs)

adj.

1. apparently true or right though lacking real merit; not genuine.

2. deceptively attractive.

3. Obs. pleasing to the eye.

[1350–1400; Middle English < Latin speciōsus fair, good-looking <speci(ēs) (see species)]

spe′cious•ly, adv.

spe′cious•ness, n.

Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

Thesaurus

Adj.	1.	specious - plausible but false; "a specious claim"; "spurious inferences" spurious false - not in accordance with the fact or reality or actuality; "gave false testimony under oath"; "false tales of bravery"
	2.	specious - based on pretense; deceptively pleasing; "the gilded and perfumed but inwardly rotten nobility"; "meretricious praise"; "a meretricious argument" gilded, meretricious insincere - lacking sincerity; "a charming but thoroughly insincere woman"; "their praise was extravagant and insincere"

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

specious

adjective fallacious, misleading, deceptive, plausible, unsound, sophistic, sophistical, casuistic The Duke was not convinced by such specious arguments.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

specious

adjective

1. Containing fundamental errors in reasoning:

fallacious, false, illogical, invalid, sophistic, spurious, unsound.

2. Devoid of truth:

counterfactual, false, spurious, truthless, untrue, untruthful, wrong.

The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Translations

spécieusespécieux

specioso

specious

[ˈspiːʃəs] ADJ → especioso

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

specious

adj argument, proposal, logic → vordergründig bestechend; excuse → fadenscheinig; claim → unfundiert, fadenscheinig; charm, phrases → leer; nonsense → hohl

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

specious

[ˈspiːʃəs] adj (frm) → specioso/a

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995