fallacy

fal·la·cy

noun \ˈfa-lə-sē\

plural fal·la·cies

Definition of FALLACY

1

a obsolete : guile, trickery b : deceptive appearance : deception

2

a : a false or mistaken idea <popular fallacies> b : erroneous character : erroneousness

3

: an often plausible argument using false or invalid inference

Examples of FALLACY

1. The fallacy of their ideas about medicine soon became apparent.
2. <the once-common fallacy that girls just weren't any good at math>

Origin of FALLACY

Latin fallacia, from fallac-, fallax deceitful, from fallere to deceive

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to FALLACY

Synonyms: delusion, error, falsehood, falsity, hallucination, illusion, misbelief, misconception, myth, old wives' tale, untruth

Antonyms: truth, verity

Related Words: factoid; superstition; fiction, pretense (or pretence); distortion, inaccuracy, misapprehension, miscomprehension, misinterpretation, misjudgment, misperception, misunderstanding; misinformation, misknowledge, misreport, misrepresentation, misstatement; sophism, sophistry; fib, half-truth, lie, story, tale

Near Antonyms: accuracy, actuality, correctness, factuality, factualness, genuineness; credibility, honesty, trustworthiness, truthfulness, veracity

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Other Logic Terms

a posteriori, connotation, corollary, inference, mutually exclusive, paradox, postulate, syllogism

Rhymes with FALLACY

jalousie