specious means seemingly well-reasoned, plausible or true, but actually fallacious. It carries an Arena rating of 1599, earned across 5 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, specious ranks #829 of 17,130 for Best Fossil-Poetry Words, #875 of 17,122 for Most Betrayed by Its Sound, #2,309 of 17,118 for Scariest Words, #3,337 of 17,125 for Most Incisive Words.
specious is pronounced /ˈspiːʃəs/.
Why “specious” is a great word
Seemingly plausible or attractive but actually deceptive, fallacious, or lacking in real merit. From Middle English speciose, specious, from Anglo-Norman specious and Middle French specieux, from their etymon Latin speciōsus ("good-looking, beautiful, fair," also "showy, plausible"), from speciēs ("appearance, sight"), first recorded in English in the late 14th century. Unlike "facile," which suggests a shallow oversimplification, or "plausible," a neutral term for the reasonably probable, specious carries the chill of a deliberate, polished lie. It is the gleaming counterfeit coin that passes for gold, the elegant argument that unravels at the first tug of logic, the polished surface of a rotten fruit—a testament to the profound cruelty of beauty designed to waste your time.
Etymology
From Middle English speciose, specious, from Anglo-Norman specious, Middle French specieux, and their etymon Latin speciōsus (“good-looking”).
adj
- Seemingly well-reasoned, plausible or true, but actually fallacious.e.g.“This idea that we must see through what we have started is specious, however good it may sound.”
- Employing fallacious but deceptively plausible arguments; deceitful.
- Having an attractive appearance intended to generate a favorable response; deceptively attractive.
- Beautiful, pleasing to look at.
Words closest in meaning
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