Definition of spurious

The word "spurious" originates from the Latin word "spurius," meaning "illegitimate" or "false." This Latin word is derived from "spurus," meaning "non-virile or sterile," which was used to describe a child born out of wedlock or outside of marriage. In Latin, a "spurius" was a person born to a slave or a freedman, rather than a legitimate son of a citizen. Over time, the meaning of the word expanded to include false or fake things, such as illegitimate children, adulterous or bastard offspring, or even counterfeit coins. In English, the word "spurious" has retained its Latin sense of "false" or "illegitimate," and is often used to describe something that is not authentic, genuine, or legitimate.