Spurious is an adjective meaning false or not genuine, often referring to something that appears plausible but is actually incorrect or illegitimate. It emphasizes deceit or lack of authenticity. In logical or scientific contexts, spurious conclusions or correlations are misleading; in everyday use, a spurious claim is dubious and not supported by evidence.
"The researcher debunked the spurious correlation between the two variables."
"Her conclusions were dismissed as spurious, lacking rigorous methodology."
"The certificate turned out to be spurious, leading to questions about the vendor’s credibility."
"They warned that the document’s signatures looked authentic but were spurious."
Spurious entered English in the late 16th century from Latin spurius, meaning illegitimate or illicit. The Latin root spur- is tied to procreation or offspring in some senses, but the primary thread here is counterfeit or false. The Latin form spurius itself likely derives from spurius
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Spurious" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Spurious"
-ous sounds
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Spurious is pronounced SPYR-ee-uhs, with primary stress on the first syllable. IPA: US /ˈspjʊr.i.əs/, UK /ˈspjɔː.ri.əs/, AU /ˈspjɔː.ri.əs/. Start with the consonant cluster SP (unvoiced), move to a short iotized vowel in the second syllable, then a soft “u” as in -ri- and finish with -ous pronounced as -əs. Visualize SPYR as in “spy,” then -i-əs.”},{
Common errors include mispronouncing the initial SP cluster as SP rather than SPY-; turning /pjʊr/ into a simple /pʌr/ or /pɜr/ and simplifying the ending to -us /əs/ with weak or no schwa. Corrective tips: practice the /pj/ blend by saying SPY- followed by a crisp r without a vowel heat between; keep the vowel in the second syllable as a short /jʊ/ sound, not a long /juː/; end with a clear, unstressed /əs/ rather than a full /əs/ with extra vowel.
US: /ˈspjʊr.i.əs/ with a rhotic r and a shorter /ɪ/ in the second syllable; UK: /ˈspjɔː.ri.əs/ often with a non-rhotic vowel in some speakers and a longer second syllable; AU: /ˈspjɔː.ri.əs/ similar to UK but with Australian vowel quality—often broader /ɔː/ and a slightly flattened /r/ depending on speaker. The main differences are rhoticity and vowel length; the stress pattern remains first-syllable primary.
Two main challenges: the /pj/ blend after S- is less common in some languages, so learners may insert an epenthetic vowel; and the /r/ in /spjʊr/ can be tricky for non-rhotic speakers, where the /r/ is less pronounced or absorbed. Focus on producing /pj/ as a single, crunched blend, then glide into /r/ with a clean, curled or bunched tongue, followed by a light unstressed /əs/ at the end.
Spurious carries a straightforward primary stress on the first syllable, SPY-r-ious; there are no silent letters. The challenge is sealing the /r/ before the /i/ and maintaining a crisp, short /ɪ/ or /i/ in the second syllable, not elongating it, and finishing smoothly with the unstressed /əs/.
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