Specious
/ˈspiːʃəs/noun
Having a false look of truth or genuineness; misleadingly attractive.
Did you know?The word 'specious' is closely connected to the idea of deception, suggesting that appearances can be dangerously misleading, much like a beautiful illusion.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
speciosus
“beautiful, fair, or pleasing in appearance”
Old French
Old French
specieux
“having a pleasing appearance, attractive”
Middle English
Middle English
specious
“deceptively attractive or seemingly reasonable”
Modern English
English
specious
“referring to something that is superficially plausible but actually wrong”