Apocryphal
/əˈpɒkrɪfəl/
adjectiveC1
Definition
Apocryphal means a story or information that many people believe or tell but is doubtful or not confirmed as true. It often refers to tales that sound interesting or believable but lack real proof or come from unknown sources.
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See It in Action
A doubtful or untrue story often repeated as if it were true
- •The story about George Washington chopping down a cherry tree is apocryphal.
- •Many apocryphal tales surround famous historical figures.
- •That apocryphal quote is often wrongly attributed to Albert Einstein.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "apocryphal" like "story," but one that might be false or made up, not a simple true story.
- ✓Picture a tale told around a campfire that everyone repeats, but no one knows if it really happened.
- ✓It's the feeling when you hear a surprising fact but wonder if it is just a rumor.
- ✓Sounds like "a-POCK-ri-fall" → imagine a story falling apart because it has weak proof.
- ✓Think of urban legends or famous myths that many people believe but experts say are not true.
- ✓NOT like "true" (fully real and proven), apocryphal stories are doubtful or uncertain.
- ✓NOT like "fiction" (made-up for fun), apocryphal stories are told as if real but with no proof.
- ✓NOT like "fact" (known truth), apocryphal is more like "maybe true, maybe not."
Try Other Words
- •Legend: a traditional story, often not completely true (Use when the story is famous and old but may not be true)
- •Myth: a story explaining something, often not true (Use when the story explains natural or cultural things but is not factual)
- •Rumor: unconfirmed information spread by people (Use when the story is recent and shared informally)
- •Fictional: made up and not true (Use when the story is completely invented)
Unboxing
- •Prefix "apo-" means "away from" or "off"
- •Root "cryph" comes from Greek "kryptein," meaning "to hide" or "secret"
- •Suffix "-al" turns the word into an adjective, meaning "related to"
- •Origin: From Greek "apokryphos," meaning hidden or secret writings, often doubtful in truth
- •Historically used for religious texts not accepted as official because their truth was uncertain
- •Today used for any doubtful or unproven story or statement
Reflect & Connect
•Why do people often enjoy sharing apocryphal stories even if they might not be true?
•How can you tell the difference between an apocryphal story and a true fact in your daily life?
Fill in the blanks
1.The apocryphal story about the lost treasure was ___ by many, but no real evidence was found.
2.People often repeat apocryphal tales because they ___ interesting or exciting.
3.Unlike a confirmed fact, an apocryphal story usually lacks ___ proof.
4.The quote is often called apocryphal because it cannot be traced to a ___ source.
5.When you hear an apocryphal story, you should ___ before believing it.
6.Apocryphal stories are different from myths because myths often explain ___ or culture.
7.Sometimes, apocryphal stories are shared as if they are true, but they are really just ___ or guesses.