counterfeit English · revision 941

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈkawntəˌfɪt/ ''(UK)''; /ˈkaʊn.tɚˌfɪt/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|countrefet]], [[bor|fro|contrefait|t=imitated]], the past participle of ''contrefaire'' “to imitate”,^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) [[af|fro|contre-|faire|t1=against, counter-|t2=to make]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) the latter from [[la|facere|t=to make, do]].^(AHD)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ As an adjective, made in imitation of something genuine, forged (1292);^(OED 1989) as a verb, to pretend or feign (c. 1300–25).^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Weekley notes that the word did not at first necessarily suggest fraud.^(Etymonline) Early senses included “made to a pattern, fashioned” (1463) and “represented in a picture” (1589), and the noun could mean a likeness or portrait.^(OED 1989)^(RHWU) From the late 14th century the verb meant to make a copy of something without right, especially to deceive or defraud,^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) as in forging coins or banknotes.^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate) As a noun, “an imitation designed to pass as the original”, it is recorded from 1397.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1292 – adjective, imitated, forged.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1325 – verb, to feign a feeling or quality.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1386 – verb, to forge coins or writings.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1393 – adjective, feigned, sham.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1397 – noun, a forgery.^(Barnhart 1995)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Made in imitation of something genuine with intent to deceive; [[forge|alt=forged]], as in ''counterfeit money''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Pretended; feigned or insincere, as in ''counterfeit grief''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A fraudulent imitation; a [[forgery]] or fake.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(archaic)'' A likeness or portrait.^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To make a fraudulent copy of; to forge.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To pretend or [[feign]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To deceive by pretence; to dissemble.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[counterfeiter]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[forgery]]

+ * [[fake]]

+ * [[feat]]

+ * [[feature]]

+ * [[fact]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}