spurious

Adjective

spurious (comparative more spurious, superlative most spurious)

1. False, not authentic, not genuine.
   • His argument was spurious and had no validity.
   • We witness that there is a relationship between government, media and industry that is evident even at this most spurious and superficial level. These three institutions support one another. We know that however cool a media outlet may purport to be, their primary loyalty is to their corporate...2013 September 13, Russell Brand, “Russell Brand and the GQ awards: 'It's amazing how absurd it seems'”, in Alan Rusbridger, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC...

   Synonyms:

   counterfeit, fake, false, bogus

2. Extraneous, stray; not relevant or wanted.
   • I tried to concentrate on the matter in hand, but spurious thoughts kept intruding.
   • Spurious emissions from the wireless mast were causing nearby electrical equipment to go haywire.
3. (archaic) Bastardly, illegitimate.
   • […] who alſo in her prime of love,
     Spouſal embraces, vitiated with Gold,
     Though offer’d only, by the ſent conceiv’d
     Her ſpurious firſt-born; Treaſon againſt me?1671, John Milton, “Samson Agonistes, […].”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC, page 29, lines...