Fraudulency

/ˈfrɔːdʒələnsi/ noun

Definition

The quality or state of being fraudulent; deception or dishonest intent.

Etymology

From 'fraudulent' (Latin 'fraudulentus', deceitful) + '-cy' (state or quality). This variant uses the less common '-cy' suffix instead of '-ence'.

Kelly Says

'Fraudulency' and 'fraudulence' are near-perfect synonyms, yet only 'fraudulence' made it into modern dictionaries—this happens constantly in English, where one suffix wins out over another for no particular reason.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.