Word of the Day

: October 23, 2021

bogus

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adjective BOH-gus

What It Means

Bogus means "not real or genuine"—it is synonymous with fake or counterfeit.

// The art dealer proved the painting to be bogus.

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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.



Quiz

Unscramble the letters to create an adjective that describes an artificial and inferior substitute or imitation: TREZAS.

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