1 supposititious | Definition of supposititious
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supposititious

adjective
sup·​pos·​i·​ti·​tious | \ sÉ™-ËŒpä-zÉ™-ˈti-shÉ™s How to pronounce supposititious (audio) \

Definition of supposititious

1a : fraudulently substituted : spurious

b of a child

(1) : falsely presented as a genuine heir
(2) : illegitimate

2 [ influenced in meaning by supposition ]

a : imaginary
b : of the nature of or based on a supposition : hypothetical
Other Words from supposititious Synonyms & Antonyms Did You Know? Example Sentences Learn More about supposititious

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Other Words from supposititious

supposititiously adverb

Synonyms & Antonyms for supposititious

Synonyms

baseborn, bastard, illegitimate, misbegotten, natural, spurious, unfathered

Antonyms

legitimate

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Did You Know?

The Latin verb supponere, meaning "substitute," has several legitimate heirs in English, including "supposititious" (which dates from the early 17th century) and "supposition" (a 15th century addition). The "fraudulent" and "illegitimate" meanings of "supposititious" trace back to "supponere" in a fairly direct route, whereas the "imaginary" and "hypothetical" meanings were influenced by the meanings of "supposition." In legal contexts, "supposititious" is primarily used in its earlier senses, as in "a supposititious (fraudulent) will" or "the child was supposititious (illegitimate)." When something hypothetical is being considered, the adjective "suppositious" is often preferred over "supposititious."

Examples of supposititious in a Sentence

entered the world as the supposititious son of a housemaid

First Known Use of supposititious

1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

History and Etymology for supposititious

Latin suppositicius, from suppositus, past participle of supponere to substitute

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More from Merriam-Webster on supposititious

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with supposititious

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