specious

/ˈspiːʃəs/

//ˈspiːʃəs// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"specious" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“specious” is uncommon English (frequency #56,460 among 54,294 “S” headwords), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#56,460
frequency rank, English
54,294
“S” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Seemingly well-reasoned, plausible or true, but actually fallacious.

Key facts for specious
PropertyValue
Headwordspecious
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈspiːʃəs/
Letters8
Frequency rank#56,460
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “specious” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). specious lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

specious is uncommon English at frequency #56,460 among 54,294 “S” headwords, classed as anadjective, transcribed /ˈspiːʃəs/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 4 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for specious, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English speciose, specious, from Anglo-Norman specious, Middle French specieux, and their etymon Latin speciōsus (“good-looking”). The correct English form is specious, spelled S-P-E-C-I-O-U-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    Seemingly well-reasoned, plausible or true, but actually fallacious.
  2. 2
    Employing fallacious but deceptively plausible arguments; deceitful.
  3. 3
    Having an attractive appearance intended to generate a favorable response; deceptively attractive.
  4. 4
    Beautiful, pleasing to look at.

Etymology

From Middle English speciose, specious, from Anglo-Norman specious, Middle French specieux, and their etymon Latin speciōsus (“good-looking”).

This word in other languages

fingido(Español)spécieux(Français)vordergründig(Deutsch)especioso(Português)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "specious"?
"specious" is spelled S-P-E-C-I-O-U-S. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈspiːʃəs/.
What does "specious" mean?
As an adjective, "specious" means: Seemingly well-reasoned, plausible or true, but actually fallacious.
How do you pronounce "specious"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "specious" is /ˈspiːʃəs/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "specious"?
From Middle English speciose, specious, from Anglo-Norman specious, Middle French specieux, and their etymon Latin speciōsus (“good-looking”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “specious”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is S-P-E-C-I-O-U-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈspiːʃəs/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Other uncommon English words near this rank

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list