apocrypha

1. pluralplural of apocryphon

plural apocryphas

1. uncountableusuallySomething, as a writing, that is of doubtful authorship or authority (formerly also used attributively).

   We are the women with thread bags anchored deep in our bosoms containing blood agreements silver coins and cloves of garlic and an apocrypha of Nanny’s secrets.

   1993, Lorna Goodison, “We Are the Women”, in Maura Healy, editor, Quartet of Poems, Longman, →ISBN, →OCLC, →OL, page 92

   4 more examples

   But it may be objected, that these books being in the Jews' canon , ought to be acknowledged for divinely inspired , rather than the apocryphas that never were in it

   a. 1704, John Locke, An Essay for the Understanding of St. Paul's Epistles

   Our entymological^([sic – meaning etymological]) approaches to the I or Change in the I Ching seem to confirm one of the well known apocryphas, I-Wei Ch'ien tso-tu.

   1975, Jung Young Lee, The I Ching and Modern Man: Essays on Metaphysical Implications of Change, Secaucus, NJ: University Books, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, →OL, page 24

   Parts of the city were unearthed and we could clearly see an almost square citadel with massive walls and a deep moat, beyond which were the outer residential quarters, shopping centre, etc. This made me think of an apocrypha of the Bogomil teaching: 'I, the prophet Isaiah, blessed among the prophets by our Lord God Jesus Christ, have come by the Will of God to tell you what will happen in the last days of the human race...' He was talking of an uncertain future, while here before us we had a tale of realities of the past.

   1976, Bogomil Nonev, translated by Petko Drenkov, A Journey Through the Ages, Sofia Press, →OCLC, →OL, page 41

   The story of the Arsenal mural has drifted, over the years, into something more closely resembling a myth. What should be straightforward details are now shrouded in fog, tangled by apocrypha.

   2020 June 8, Rory Smith, “The Shirts Were Red. The Fans Were All White.”, in New York Times, archived from the original on 08 Jun 2020

1. pluralplural onlyThat group of works which formed part of the Septuagint, but not of the Hebrew canon recognized by the Jews, and which is considered by some Christians to form an authentic part of Scripture, but which is rejected by others (namely by Protestants).

   Synonyms: Deuterocanon