different between apocrypha vs apocryphal

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin apocryphus (“apocryphal”), from Ancient Greek ????????? (apókruphos, “hidden, obscure”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??p?k.??.f?/

Noun

apocrypha

1. (obsolete) Something, as a writing, that is of doubtful authorship or authority (formerly also used attributively).
   • a. 1704, John Locke, An Essay for the Understanding of St. Paul's Epistles

     But it may be objected, that these books being in the Jews' canon , ought to be acknowledged for divinely inspired , rather than the apocryphas that never were in it

Related terms

• apocryphal

Translations

References

• Douglas Harper (2001–2021) , “apocrypha”, in Online Etymology Dictionary

Latin

Adjective

apocrypha

1. nominative feminine singular of apocryphus
2. nominative neuter plural of apocryphus
3. accusative neuter plural of apocryphus
4. vocative feminine singular of apocryphus
5. vocative neuter plural of apocryphus

Adjective

apocryph?

1. ablative feminine singular of apocryphus

References

• apocrypha in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition, 1883–1887)

English

Etymology

From Late Latin apocryphus (“secret, not approved for public reading”), from Ancient Greek ????????? (apókruphos, “hidden, obscure”, thus “(books) of unknown authorship”), from ??? (apó, “from”) + ?????? (krúpt?, “I hide”). Properly plural (the singular would be apocryphon), but commonly treated as a collective singular. “Apocryphal” meaning “of doubtful authenticity” is first attested in English in 1590.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /??p?k??f?l/, /??p?k??f?l/
• (US) IPA^(key): /??p??k??f?l/, /??p??k??f?l/

Adjective

apocryphal (comparative more apocryphal, superlative most apocryphal)

1. (Christianity) Of, or pertaining to, the Apocrypha.
2. (by extension) Of doubtful authenticity, or lacking authority; not regarded as canonical. [from 1590s]

   Synonyms: allonymous, spurious

   Antonym: canonical

3. (by extension) Of dubious veracity; of questionable accuracy or truthfulness; anecdotal or in the nature of an urban legend.

   Synonym: anecdotal

Related terms

Translations

Further reading

• Apocrypha on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Apocryphal Literature in the Encyclopædia Britannica (11th edition, 1911)