Word of the Day
: October 23, 2021bogus
playWhat It Means
Bogus means "not real or genuine"—it is synonymous with fake or counterfeit.
// The art dealer proved the painting to be bogus.
bogus in Context
"Investigators said Talens … cheated manufacturers and merchants of more than $31 million by producing bogus coupons that gave customers merchandise at steep discounts—or for free." — Jonathan Edwards, The Washington Post. 18 Sept. 2021
Did You Know?
In the early 19th century, a "bogus" was a machine used to make counterfeit coins. No one knows for sure how this coin-copying contraption got its name, but before long bogus became a name for funny money or for a fraudulent imitation of any kind. The more common "phony" adjective followed.
Test Your Vocabulary with M-W Quizzes
Quiz
Unscramble the letters to create an adjective that describes an artificial and inferior substitute or imitation: TREZAS.
VIEW THE ANSWER
