different between bogus vs postiche

English

Etymology

First attested as an underworld term for counterfeit coins. Later, the word was applied to anything of poor quality. The newest use to mean useless is probably from the slang of computer hackers.

The origin is unknown, but there are at least two theories that try to trace its origin:

• From Hausa boko (“to fake”). Since bogus first appeared in the United States, it may be possible that its ancestor was brought there on a slave ship.
• From criminal slang as a short form of tantrabogus, a 19th-century slang term for a menacing object, making some believe that bogus might be linked to bogy or bogey (see bogeyman). In this sense, Bogus might be related to Bogle – a traditional trickster from the Scottish Borders, noted for achieving acts of household trickery; confusing, but not usually damaging.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?b??.??s/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?bo?.??s/
• Rhymes: -????s

Adjective

bogus (comparative more bogus, superlative most bogus)

1. Counterfeit or fake; not genuine.

   Synonyms: phony; see also Thesaurus:fake
2. Undesirable or harmful.
3. (computing, slang) Incorrect, useless, or broken.
4. (philately) Of a totally fictitious issue printed for collectors, often issued on behalf of a non-existent territory or country (not to be confused with forgery, which is an illegitimate copy of a genuine stamp).

   Synonym: illegal
5. Based on false or misleading information or unjustified assumptions.

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

bogus (uncountable)

1. (US, dialect) A liquor made of rum and molasses.

Related terms

• calibogus

English

Etymology

From French postiche.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /p?s?ti??/
• (US) IPA^(key): /p??sti?/, /p??sti?/

Noun

postiche (plural postiches or postiche)

1. Any item of false hair worn on the head or face, such as a false beard or wig.
   • 1993, Patsy Baker, Wigs & Makeup for Theatre, Television, and Film, page 150

     This type of postiche is called a 'combination wig' because it mixes hand-made work with machine-made work.

   • 2001, Allan Peterkin, One Thousand Beards: A cultural history of facial hair, page 17

     […] both kings and queens enjoyed wearing lavish fake beards made of gold and silver called postiches, which were strapped behind the ears like a Halloween mask.

Hyponyms

• (false hair): hairpiece, toupee, weave, wig

Translations

Adjective

postiche (not comparable)

1. (art) Added after the work is finished.

Anagrams

• Peschito, potiches

French

Etymology

From Italian posticcio, from Latin appositus (“an applying, application”), from app?n? (“put or place near”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /p?s.ti?/

Noun

postiche f (plural postiches)

1. toupee, hairpiece, wig
2. false moustache, false beard

Descendants

• ? English: postiche

Adjective

postiche (plural postiches)

1. artificial; false

Further reading

• “postiche” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Anagrams

• chipotes