false

A1 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /fɔls/ UK /fɔːls/ See IPA manual

Freq #2300

Meanings

1

adj
Not true or correct.

He gave false testimony under oath.
2

adj
Not real; made to look genuine in order to deceive.

The suitcase had a false bottom for hiding money.
3

adj
Meant to trick or mislead people.

He obtained the money under false pretenses.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · not true or correct. incorrect inaccurate erroneous

More lease

Word family

Forms falserfalsesfalsest

Derived forms false-flagfalse-flaggerfalse-heartedfalse-heartedlyfalse-heartednessfalsecardfalsedomfalsefacefalsefulfalseheartfalsehoodfalsen

Appears in

Phrases (2)

See all

Simplified etymology

False is inherited from Old English and ultimately derives from Latin fallere, “to deceive.” Default, fail, and fault come from the same Latin source.

Etymology

From Middle English false, fals, from Old English fals (“false; counterfeit; fraudulent; wrong; mistaken”), from Latin falsus (“counterfeit, false; falsehood”), perfect passive participle of fallō (“deceive”). Reinforced in Middle English by Anglo-Norman and Old French fals, faus. Compare Scots fals, false, Saterland Frisian falsk, German falsch, Dutch vals, Swedish and Danish falsk; all from Latin falsus. Displaced native Middle English les, lese, from Old English lēas (“false”); See lease, leasing. Doublet of faux. The verb is from Middle English falsen, falsien, from Old French falser, from…

false Middle English fals Old English falsus Latin falsen Middle English falser Old French falsō Latin

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Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# false

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A1
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /fɔls/
**IPA (UK):** /fɔːls/
**Frequency rank:** 2300

## Meanings
1. Not true or correct.
2. Not real; made to look genuine in order to deceive.
3. Meant to trick or mislead people.

## Examples
- He gave false testimony under oath.
- The suitcase had a false bottom for hiding money.
- He obtained the money under false pretenses.

## Synonyms
- lease

## Derived Forms
- false-flag
- false-flagger
- false-hearted
- false-heartedly
- false-heartedness
- falsecard
- falsedom
- falseface
- falseful
- falseheart
- falsehood
- falsen

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: false
- Root: fals
- Root: falsus
- Root: falsen
- Root: falser
- Root: falsō

## Etymology
From Middle English false, fals, from Old English fals (“false; counterfeit; fraudulent; wrong; mistaken”), from Latin falsus (“counterfeit, false; falsehood”), perfect passive participle of fallō (“deceive”). Reinforced in Middle English by Anglo-Norman and Old French fals, faus. Compare Scots fals, false, Saterland Frisian falsk, German falsch, Dutch vals, Swedish and Danish falsk; all from Latin falsus. Displaced native Middle English les, lese, from Old English lēas (“false”); See lease, leasing. Doublet of faux. The verb is from Middle English falsen, falsien, from Old French falser, from…

## AI Etymology
False comes from Middle English false, fals, from Old English fals (“false; counterfeit; fraudulent; wrong; mistaken”), from Latin falsus (“counterfeit, false; falsehood”), perfect passive participle of fallō (“deceive”). Reinforced in Middle English by Anglo-Norman and Old French fals, faus. Compare Scots fals, false, Saterland Frisian falsk, German falsch, Dutch vals, Swedish and Danish falsk; all from Latin falsus. Displaced native Middle English les, lese, from Old English lēas (“false”); See lease, leasing. Doublet of faux. In current use, the main senses are “Not true or correct” and “Not real; made to look genuine in order to deceive”.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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