Dictionary
Thesaurus
Reference
Translate
Web
specious
7 dictionary results for: specious
Webster's New Millennium™ Dictionary of English - Cite This Source - Share This
Main Entry:  specious1
Part of Speech:  adj
Definition:  showily beautiful or attractive
Etymology:  Latin specissus 'beautiful, plausible'

Webster's New Millennium™ Dictionary of English - Cite This Source - Share This
Main Entry:  specious2
Part of Speech:  adj
Definition:  plausible but not true; based on pretense; sophistic
Etymology:  Latin specissus 'beautiful, plausible'

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
spe·cious       [spee-shuhs] Pronunciation Key
–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.

[Origin: 1350–1400; ME < L speciōsus fair, good-looking, beautiful, equiv. to speci(és) (see species) + -ōsus -ous]

spe·cious·ly, adverb
spe·cious·ness, noun

1. See plausible. 2. false, misleading.
1, 2. genuine.
American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
spe·cious       (spē'shəs)  Pronunciation Key 
adj.  
  1. Having the ring of truth or plausibility but actually fallacious: a specious argument.
  2. Deceptively attractive.


[Middle English, attractive, from Latin speciōsus, from speciēs, appearance; see spek- in Indo-European roots.]

spe'cious·ly adv., spe'ci·os'i·ty (-shē-ŏs'ĭ-tē), spe'cious·ness (-shəs-nĭs) n.
Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
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.

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This
specious

adjective
1. plausible but false; "a specious claim"; "spurious inferences" 
2. based on pretense; deceptively pleasing; "the gilded and perfumed but inwardly rotten nobility"; "meretricious praise"; "a meretricious argument" [syn: gilded

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

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.

Share This:Share This: digg.comShare This: ma.gnolia.comShare This: www.stumbleupon.comShare This: del.icio.usShare This: FacebookShare This: favorites.live.comShare This: www.technorati.comShare This: furl.netShare This: myweb2.search.yahoo.comShare This: www.google.com