Make Your Point > Archived Issues > SPECIOUS
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pronounce
SPECIOUS:
Say it "SPEE shuss."
To hear it, click here.
connect this word to others:
Something specious is attractive but false, plausible but wrong, pleasing or fascinating but ultimately just a sham.
See if you can recall these similar terms:
1. Something os____ible seems true, or is said to be true, but isn't necessarily true.
2. S___istry is the use of illogical reasoning or arguments, usually the kind that trick people on purpose.
3. Something mere____ous, at first glance, seems alluring and attractive, but actually has no value or no virtue.
(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)
definition:
"Specious" comes from a Latin word meaning "beautiful: nice to look at." It's related to lots of words that also involve looking and seeing, like "spectator," "spectacle," "aspect," "perspective," and "species" (which in Latin means "a form, an appearance") .
In English, at first, "specious" just meant "beautiful to see." But the meaning warped over the years, and now we use it to mean "looking or sounding nice, but actually fake, false, or tricky."
In other words, specious things seem pleasant, attractive, or convincing at first glance but are actually bad, wrong, or deceptive.
grammatical bits:
Part of speech:
Adjective: "It's a specious theory;" "Their reasoning is specious."
Other forms:
The adverb is "speciously."
For a noun, pick between "speciousness" and "speciosity," pronounced "SPEE she OSS ih tee." You're probably expecting me to say I prefer "speciosity," since it sounds more graceful, but I'm actually torn. It does sound nicer. But it also has a specific meaning in biology: "speciosity" is the richness of individual species within a larger group of living things. So maybe it's better if we stick with "speciousness" for the general meaning.
how to use it:
"Specious" is semi-common, but very formal and sophisticated, with a critical tone.
You'll see me pulling a bunch of examples from the same source, the New York Times, not necessarily because I'm being lazy but because this word's tone and flavor are, well, very New York Times. Highbrow, analytical, and often disapproving.
So when that's the tone you're going for, you might talk about specious arguments, theories, reasoning, links, claims, ideas, impressions, etc.
You might hear people using "specious" to simply mean "doubtful, suspicious, or dubious," but I recommend sticking to the more specific meaning: something specious seems good or logical at first glance, but falls apart when you look more closely.
examples:
"The show's specious premise is that the members of William McKinley High's glee club are social outcasts, but clearly, they're anything but."
— David Kamp, New York Times, 11 June 2010
"Why do authors [of medieval fantasy] limit themselves to somber dialogue that they consider period-appropriate, a compulsion as specious as associating France with French fries jokes?"
— Heather Havrilesky, New York Times, 15 April 2011
has this page helped you understand "specious"?
study it:
Explain the meaning of "specious" without saying "hollow" or "convincing at first."
try it out:
In the New York Times, Vanessa Friedman wrote, "One accusation often lobbed at the [MTV Video Music Awards]... is that the event is not about clothes, but costume. Which is, of course, specious, since all clothes are, to varying degrees, costume: just the ones we don for everyday life."
Talk about what she means. Why is the accusation specious? What makes it sound good at first, and what makes it fall apart?
And, if you like, follow Friedman's example: talk about something you've heard people say that strikes you as specious. That is, it seems fair or logical at first, until you give it a moment's thought.
before you review, play:
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
Our game this month is "Serious Words, Silliest Names."
Match each word to the silly name it evokes. For example, match "pecuniary" to Owen Cash, "hoodwink" to Howie Cheatham, and "debacle" to Oliver Sutton.
To see the answers, scroll all the way down. Enjoy!
Try these today:
CEREBRAL: _____
HAGGARD: _____
OPALESCENT: _____
OPENHANDED: _____
WINDFALL: _____
Bill Foldes
Felix Austead
Jack Pott
Noah Lott
Pearl E. White
review this word:
A. SOUND.
B. BALANCED.
C. SIMPLISTIC.
2.
A writer for Salon pointed out that, in a memoir, certain passages were "specious" and, similarly, certain claims were "_____."
A. a stretch by any measure
B. clearly intended as jokes
C. instantly, resoundingly laughable
a final word:
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.
From my blog:
On vocabulary...
36 ways to study words.
Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
On writing...
How to improve any sentence.
How to motivate our kids to write.
How to stop procrastinating and start writing.
How to bulk up your writing when you have to meet a word count.
From my heart: a profound thanks to the generous patrons, donors, and sponsors that make it possible for me to write these emails. If you'd like to be a patron or a donor, please click here. If you'd like to be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.
A disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.
Something specious is attractive but false, plausible but wrong, pleasing or fascinating but ultimately just a sham.
"Specious" comes from a Latin word meaning "beautiful: nice to look at." It's related to lots of words that also involve looking and seeing, like "spectator," "spectacle," "aspect," "perspective," and "species" (which in Latin means "a form, an appearance") .
Part of speech:
"Specious" is semi-common, but very formal and sophisticated, with a critical tone.
"The show's specious premise is that the members of William McKinley High's glee club are social outcasts, but clearly, they're anything but."
Explain the meaning of "specious" without saying "hollow" or "convincing at first."
In the New York Times, Vanessa Friedman wrote, "One accusation often lobbed at the [MTV Video Music Awards]... is that the event is not about clothes, but costume. Which is, of course, specious, since all clothes are, to varying degrees, costume: just the ones we don for everyday life."
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. |