Fake, fraudulent, or not genuine; lacking authenticity or validity. Used to describe something that appears legitimate but is actually false or deceptive.
Of uncertain origin, possibly from 'bogy' (phantom) or from a 19th-century machine called a 'bogus' used to make counterfeit coins. First appeared in American slang around 1839, originally describing counterfeit money.
The word 'bogus' might come from an actual counterfeiting machine, making it a rare case where criminal technology gave birth to everyday vocabulary. It gained popularity during the era of widespread currency counterfeiting in 19th-century America.
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