supposititious

adjective

sup·pos·i·ti·tious | \sə-ˌpä-zə-ˈti-shəs

Definition of supposititious

1a : fraudulently substituted : spurious

b of a child

(1) : falsely presented as a genuine heir

(2) : illegitimate

2 [ influenced in meaning by supposition ]

a : imaginary

b : of the nature of or based on a supposition : hypothetical

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Did You Know?

The Latin verb supponere, meaning "substitute," has several legitimate heirs in English, including "supposititious" (which dates from the early 17th century) and "supposition" (a 15th century addition). The "fraudulent" and "illegitimate" meanings of "supposititious" trace back to "supponere" in a fairly direct route, whereas the "imaginary" and "hypothetical" meanings were influenced by the meanings of "supposition." In legal contexts, "supposititious" is primarily used in its earlier senses, as in "a supposititious (fraudulent) will" or "the child was supposititious (illegitimate)." When something hypothetical is being considered, the adjective "suppositious" is often preferred over "supposititious."