The state of being false or untrue; a lie or deliberate untruth told to deceive someone.
From Old English fals from Latin falsus meaning 'deceived' or 'false,' combined with the suffix -hood indicating a state or condition. The compound emerged in Middle English to distinguish deliberate lies from mere errors.
Unlike simple 'lie,' falsehood carries moral weight and suggests systematic deception rather than a single untruth. The '-hood' suffix places it alongside weighty concepts like 'motherhood' and 'childhood,' making it sound almost like a philosophical state of being rather than just bad behavior.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.