# false

> English word · Adjective · IPA /fɔːls/ · frequency rank #2,345

## Definitions
1. Untrue, not factual, factually incorrect.
2. Based on factually incorrect premises.
3. Spurious, artificial.
4. Of a state in Boolean logic that indicates a negative result.
5. Uttering falsehood; dishonest or deceitful.
6. Not faithful or loyal, as to obligations, allegiance, vows, etc.; untrue; treacherous.
7. Not well founded; not firm or trustworthy; erroneous.
8. Not essential or permanent, as parts of a structure which are temporary or supplemental.
9. Used in the vernacular name of a species (or group of species) together with the name of another species to which it is similar in appearance.
10. Out of tune.

## Etymology
From Middle English false, fals, from Old English fals (“false; counterfeit; fraudulent; wrong; mistaken”), from Latin falsus (“counterfeit, false; falsehood”), perfect passive participle of fallō (“deceive”). Reinforced in Middle English by Anglo-Norman and Old French fals, faus. Compare Scots fals, false, Saterland Frisian falsk, German falsch, Dutch vals, Swedish and Danish falsk; all from Latin falsus. Displaced native Middle English les, lese, from Old English lēas (“false”); See lease, leasing. Doublet of faux.
The verb is from Middle English falsen, falsien, from Old French falser, from Latin falsō (“falsify”), itself also from falsus; compare French fausser (“to falsify, to distort”).

## Easily confused with
- **fas** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/false-vs-fas)
- **fast** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/false-vs-fast)
- **fans** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/false-vs-fans)
- **file** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/false-vs-file)
- **fate** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/false-vs-fate)
- **fame** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/false-vs-fame)
- **fare** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/false-vs-fare)
- **flee** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/false-vs-flee)
- **fuse** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/false-vs-fuse)
- **fats** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/false-vs-fats)
- **Faye** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/false-vs-faye)
- **fave** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/false-vs-fave)
- **Faso** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/false-vs-faso)
- **faze** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/false-vs-faze)
- **flue** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/false-vs-flue)
- **FTSE** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/false-vs-ftse)
- **Fars** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/false-vs-fars)
- **farce** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/false-vs-farce)
- **Faust** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/false-vs-faust)
- **Favre** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/false-vs-favre)

## Common misspellings (7)
`aflse`, `fales`, `fallse`, `falsse`, `fasle`, `ffalse`, `flase`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/false