ab-STROOS
The professor’s lectures were so abstruse that only a few students could grasp the intricate concepts.
Fun Fact
Abstruse topics often challenge our minds, but they also help develop critical thinking skills. The term is frequently used in philosophy or science, where unraveling complex ideas can lead to groundbreaking discoveries.
SPYOOR-ee-us
(adjective) Not being what it purports to be; false or fake, though having a deceptive appearance of genuineness.
The article was filled with spurious statistics that couldn’t be verified by any reliable source.
Late 16th century: from Latin “spurius” meaning “illegitimate” or “false,” of unknown ultimate origin.
Fun Fact
Spurious originally described illegitimate children before evolving to describe anything falsely claiming authenticity. Scientists use “spurious correlation” for statistical relationships that appear meaningful but result from coincidence—like ice cream sales correlating with drowning deaths (both increase in summer). Spurious combines the appearance of legitimacy with actual falseness, making it more insidious than obvious fakes. The term “spurious ware” once described pottery made to look expensive but crafted from cheap materials. Modern misinformation often succeeds precisely because it’s spurious rather than obviously false—sophisticated enough to deceive those not looking carefully. Unlike lies, which are deliberately false, spurious things might even fool their creators.