Fallacy
/ˈfæl.ə.si/noun
A mistaken belief or a deceptive argument that appears logical but is not.
Did you know?Fallacy comes from Latin *fallacia*, meaning “deceit” or “trickery,” from *fallere* “to deceive,” the same ancient root behind *fault* and *fail* — so a fallacy is literally a mind-failure disguised as truth.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bʰel-
“to deceive, cheat, or fool”
Latin
Latin
fallere
“to deceive, trick, or disappoint”
Latin
Latin
fallacia
“deception, fraud, trickery”
Old French
Old French
fallace
“deceit, guile”
Middle English
English
fallacie
“deception, false reasoning”
Modern English
English
fallacy
“a mistaken belief or deceptive line of reasoning”