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specious - 6 dictionary results
spe⋅cious
[spee-shuh
s]
–adjective
| 1. | apparently good or right though lacking real merit; superficially pleasing or plausible: specious arguments. |
| 2. | pleasing to the eye but deceptive. |
| 3. | Obsolete. pleasing to the eye; fair. |
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Link To specious
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
| Main Entry: | specious1 |
| Part of Speech: | adj |
| Definition: | showily beautiful or attractive |
| Etymology: | Latin specissus 'beautiful, plausible' |
| Main Entry: | specious2 |
| Part of Speech: | adj |
| Definition: | plausible but not true; based on pretense; sophistic |
| Etymology: | Latin specissus 'beautiful, plausible' |
Specious
Spe"cious\, a. [L. speciosusgood-looking, beautiful, specious, fr. species look, show, appearance; cf. F. sp['e]coeux. See Species.]1. Presenting a pleasing appearance; pleasing in form or look; showy. Some [serpents] specious and beautiful to the eye. --Bp. Richardson. The rest, far greater part, Will deem in outward rites and specious forms Religion satisfied. --Milton. 2. Apparently right; superficially fair, just, or correct, but not so in reality; appearing well at first view; plausible; as, specious reasoning; a specious argument. Misled for a moment by the specious names of religion, liberty, and property. --Macaulay. In consequence of their greater command of specious expression. --J. Morley. Syn: Plausible; showy; ostensible; colorable; feasible. See Plausible. -- Spe"xious*ly, adv. -- Spe"cious*ness, n.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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specious
c.1400, "pleasing to the sight, fair," from L. speciosus "good-looking, beautiful," from species "appearance" (see species). Meaning "seemingly desirable, reasonable or probable, but not really so" is first recorded 1612.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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