Apocryphal

Pronunciation: /əˈpɒkrɪfəl/

Definitions of apocryphal

adjective a term used to describe something of doubtful authenticity or credibility; often used to refer to a story or text of questionable origin

Example Sentences

A1 I heard an apocryphal story about a ghost haunting the old mansion.

A2 The legend of King Arthur and his knights is considered apocryphal by some historians.

B1 The apocryphal texts of the Bible are not included in the official canon.

B2 Many urban legends are based on apocryphal accounts that have been passed down through generations.

C1 Historians often debate the authenticity of apocryphal documents from ancient civilizations.

C2 The apocryphal nature of the story was revealed when new evidence came to light.

Examples of apocryphal in a Sentence

formal The scholar dismissed the apocryphal text as lacking historical evidence.

informal I heard an apocryphal story about a haunted house in the neighborhood.

slang Don't believe everything you hear, most of it is just apocryphal.

figurative The politician's promises turned out to be apocryphal, just empty words with no substance.

Grammatical Forms of apocryphal

• past tense: apocryphized
• plural: apocryphals
• comparative: more apocryphal
• superlative: most apocryphal
• present tense: apocryphizes
• future tense: will apocryphal
• perfect tense: has apocryphal
• continuous tense: is apocryphaling
• singular: apocryphal
• positive degree: apocryphal
• infinitive: to apocryphal
• gerund: apocryphaling
• participle: apocryphaled

Origin and Evolution of apocryphal

First Known Use: 1570 year

Language of Origin: Greek

Story behind the word: The word 'apocryphal' originates from the Greek word 'apokruphos', meaning hidden or obscure.

Evolution of the word: Originally used to refer to writings or stories of questionable authenticity or authority, the term 'apocryphal' has evolved to also describe something that is widely circulated as true but is actually fictitious or of doubtful origin.