supposititious

adjective

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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) : not recognized as lawful offspring specifically : born to parents not married to each other

2 [influenced in meaning by supposition]

a : imaginary

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

Other Words from supposititious Synonyms & Antonyms Did you know? Example Sentences Learn More About supposititious

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 synonymous adjective suppositious is often preferred over supposititious.

Examples of supposititious in a Sentence

entered the world as the supposititious son of a housemaid

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Cite this Entry

“Supposititious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/supposititious. Accessed 28 May. 2022.

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