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counterfeit
/ˈkaʊntərˌfɛt/
fake made to deceive
The police seized a shipment of counterfeit designer handbags.
Law enforcement confiscated fake luxury bags intended to pass as genuine.
Law
formal
Made in exact imitation of something valuable with the intent to deceive or defraud.
He was charged with producing counterfeit currency.
He faced legal accusations for creating fake money.
Often used in legal contexts regarding fraud, IP infringement, and customs violations.
general
Not genuine; falsely represented as authentic.
The painting was revealed to be a counterfeit.
The artwork was proven to be a fake, not the original artist's work.
Can be used as a noun to refer to the fake object itself.
Collocations
Antonyms
Pro Tip
Usage Context
Use 'counterfeit' when discussing illegal copies of valuable items (money, art, brands). Use 'fake' for general deceptions (fake news, fake smile).
Gold Rule
Legal Precision
In legal or business writing, prefer 'counterfeit' over 'fake' to emphasize the fraudulent and illegal nature of the imitation.
Word Origin
From Old French 'contrefait', past participle of 'contrefaire' meaning 'to imitate', from Latin 'contra' (against) + 'facere' (to make).
Usage Notes
While 'fake' is common in everyday speech, 'counterfeit' is more formal and often implies a criminal act or high-quality imitation intended to pass as the real thing. It is frequently used in news reports and legal documents.
Word Breakdown
counter-
against
prefix-feit
made/forged
rootEnglish Dictionary