Apocryphal
adjective /əˈpɒkrɪfəl/ — Probably not true, but too good to stop repeating.
Definition
Of doubtful authenticity, although widely circulated as being true; relating to texts excluded from the biblical canon.
Beyond the definition
Apocryphal is the word for the story that's probably not true — the famous quote misattributed to Churchill, the founding myth that didn't happen quite that way — but that persists because it contains a truth larger than its accuracy. Apocryphal stories survive because they should be true, even if they aren't.
Origin & history
From Greek apokryphos 'hidden, obscure', from apokryptein 'to hide away'. Originally referred to religious texts hidden from all but the initiated; later extended to the deuterocanonical books excluded from some biblical canons.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The story of Einstein failing maths is probably apocryphal, but it's repeated because people need it to be true.
The apocryphal founding story of the company had been repeated so often that no one checked it anymore.
She mentioned it with the caveat that the anecdote might be apocryphal — the source was unclear.
Synonyms
dubious, unverified, legendary, mythical, questionable
Antonyms
authenticated, verified, factual, canonical
Related words
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Archaeologist with ancient objects
An archaeologist compares a seal, a tablet, and a blank parchment by candlelight, studying the mystery of these traces.
The items are like apocryphal texts—objects of doubtful authenticity that circulate as meaningful. The archaeologist is trying to determine if these traces hold true significance or are merely myths, reflecting the difficulty of verifying stories from the past.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration