First Known Use: 14th century
Dictionary
1counterfeit
adjective coun·ter·feit \ˈkau̇nt-ər-ˌfit\
: made to look like an exact copy of something in order to trick people
Full Definition of COUNTERFEIT
1
: made in imitation of something else with intent to deceive : forged <counterfeit money>
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Origin of COUNTERFEIT
Middle English countrefet, from Anglo-French cuntrefeit, from past participle of cuntrefere, contrefaire to imitate, from cuntre- + faire to make, from Latin facere — more at do
Related to COUNTERFEIT
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Rhymes with COUNTERFEIT
2counterfeit
verb
: to make an exact copy of (something) in order to trick people
Full Definition of COUNTERFEIT
transitive verb
: to imitate or feign especially with intent to deceive; also : to make a fraudulent replica of <counterfeiting $20 bills>
intransitive verb
1
: to try to deceive by pretense or dissembling
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First Known Use of COUNTERFEIT
14th century
Synonym Discussion of COUNTERFEIT
assume, affect, pretend, simulate, feign, counterfeit, sham mean to put on a false or deceptive appearance. assume often implies a justifiable motive rather than an intent to deceive <assumed an air of cheerfulness around the patients>. affect implies making a false show of possessing, using, or feeling <affected an interest in art>. pretend implies an overt and sustained false appearance <pretended that nothing had happened>. simulate suggests a close imitation of the appearance of something <cosmetics that simulate a suntan>. feign implies more artful invention than pretend, less specific mimicry than simulate <feigned sickness>. counterfeit implies achieving the highest degree of verisimilitude of any of these words <an actor counterfeiting drunkenness>. sham implies an obvious falseness that fools only the gullible <shammed a most unconvincing limp>.
3counterfeit
noun
: something that is made to look like an exact copy of something else in order to trick people
Full Definition of COUNTERFEIT
1
: something counterfeit : forgery
2
: something likely to be mistaken for something of higher value <pity was a counterfeit of love — Harry Hervey>
See counterfeit defined for English-language learners
First Known Use of COUNTERFEIT
15th century
Synonym Discussion of COUNTERFEIT
imposture, fraud, sham, fake, humbug, counterfeit mean a thing made to seem other than it is. imposture applies to any situation in which a spurious object or performance is passed off as genuine <their claim of environmental concern is an imposture>. fraud usually implies a deliberate perversion of the truth <the diary was exposed as a fraud>. sham applies to fraudulent imitation of a real thing or action <condemned the election as a sham>. fake implies an imitation of or substitution for the genuine but does not necessarily imply dishonesty <these jewels are fakes; the real ones are in the vault>. humbug suggests elaborate pretense usually so flagrant as to be transparent <creating publicity by foisting humbugs on a gullible public>. counterfeit applies especially to the close imitation of something valuable <20-dollar bills that were counterfeits>.
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COUNTERFEIT Defined for Kids
1counterfeit
adjective coun·ter·feit \ˈkau̇n-tər-ˌfit\
Definition of COUNTERFEIT for Kids
1
: made in exact imitation of something genuine and meant to be taken as genuine <counterfeit money>
2
: not sincere <counterfeit sympathy>
2counterfeit
verb
coun·ter·feit·edcoun·ter·feit·ing
Definition of COUNTERFEIT for Kids
1
: to imitate or copy especially in order to deceive <Modern money is difficult to counterfeit.>
3counterfeit
noun
Definition of COUNTERFEIT for Kids
: something made to imitate another thing with the desire to deceive <The 100 dollar bill turned out to be a counterfeit.>
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