apocryphal (uh-PAH-kruh-ful)
Of doubtful authenticity; the term is often applied to stories
or legends that are often repeated but likely not true.
Apocryphal can also describe something resembling or relating
to the Apocrypha, the ancient Jewish books that are not part of the Hebrew
Bible but are considered canonical in Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox
churches. In the biblical use, the word is often capitalized.
Both apocrypha and
apocryphal come, via Latin, from the Greek word apokrýptein, meaning "to
hide (from), keep hidden (from)," which in turn comes from krýptein,
"to conceal, hide."
