- Today's Word
Apocryphal
uh-POK-ruh-ful
Definition
- (adjective) Of doubtful authenticity, although widely circulated as being true.
- Relating to or resembling the Apocrypha, a collection of texts not considered part of the canonical Bible.
Example
The story about George Washington chopping down a cherry tree is likely apocryphal, created to illustrate his honesty rather than based on fact.
Fun Fact
“Apocryphal” originates from the Greek word apokryphos, meaning “hidden” or “obscure.” It was initially used to describe religious texts not included in the accepted canon of scripture due to questionable origins or authorship. Over time, its meaning broadened to encompass any widely believed tale or statement of dubious veracity. The word reminds us of how myths and legends can become ingrained in culture, even when their truth remains uncertain.
(noun) The reappearance of a characteristic or trait from a distant ancestor that has been absent for several generations; a reversion to an earlier type
The scientist described the child’s unusually dense bone structure as a possible atavism, a trait that hadn’t appeared in the family line for generations.
Atavism comes from the Latin atavus, meaning “ancestor” or “great-great-great-grandfather” — from ata (“father”) + avus (“grandfather”). It entered English in the 19th century as a biological and anthropological term, used to describe the sudden reemergence of dormant ancestral traits in an organism after multiple generations of absence.