Added 9 October 2026
false
/fɔːls/ adjective
In Latin: falsus, mendāx Wiktionary
adjective Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about false at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
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Not in accordance with the fact or reality or actuality.
gave false testimony under oath
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Arising from error.
a false assumption
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Erroneous and usually accidental.
a false start
adverb
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In a disloyal and faithless manner.
he behaved treacherously
Origin
From Middle English false, fals, from Old English fals (“false; counterfeit; fraudulent; wrong; mistaken”), from Latin falsus (“counterfeit, false; falsehood”), perfect passive participle of fallō (“deceive”). Reinforced in Middle English by Anglo-Norman and Old French fals, faus. Compare Scots fals, false, Saterland Frisian falsk, German falsch, Dutch vals, Swedish and Danish falsk; all from Latin falsus. Displaced native Middle English les, lese, from Old English lēas (“false”); See lease, leasing. Doublet of faux.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)