Etymology

apocryphal

A1P3O1C3R1Y4P3H4A1L1

Today it means: Of, or pertaining to, the Apocrypha. Full definition →

First used 1590sProto-Indo-European *h₂élisder.? ← English apocrypha
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The story

  1. Englishapocrypha
  2. Proto-Indo-European*h₂el-
  3. Proto-Indo-European*h₂élisder.?
  4. English todayapocryphal

From apocrypha + -al.

First known use, by meaning

  • from 1590s Of doubtful authenticity, or lacking authority; not regarded as canonical.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.