apocryphal

What does “apocryphal” mean?

adjective.of doubtful authenticity, although widely circulated as being true.

SAT Usage

This term is often found in passages discussing historical narratives, folklore, or the reliability of sources. It emphasizes skepticism regarding the truthfulness of widely accepted stories, differentiating it from words like "false," which simply denote incorrectness without the nuance of widespread belief or circulation.

Common Confusions

Apocryphal implies a story or claim that is widely believed but lacks authenticity, while fabricated usually suggests something that is deliberately made up or invented without any basis in truth.

Example Sentences

• The heroic story was widely believed but entirely apocryphal.

• Many scholars consider the stories of the monk Teilo to be apocryphal.

• The apocryphal story about the founder has been repeated for generations.