hoax
[ hohks ]
noun
something intended to deceive or defraud: The Piltdown man was a scientific hoax.
verb (used with object)
to deceive by a hoax; hoodwink.
Origin of hoax
1First recorded in 1790–1800; perhaps contraction of hocus
Other words for hoax
Other words from hoax
- hoaxer, noun
- un·hoaxed, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
British Dictionary definitions for hoax
hoax
/ (həʊks) /
noun
a deception, esp a practical joke
verb
(tr) to deceive or play a joke on (someone)
Origin of hoax
1C18: probably from hocus
Derived forms of hoax
- hoaxer, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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