made in imitation of something genuine with the intent to deceive or defraud; forged
2.
simulated; sham
counterfeit affection
noun
3.
an imitation designed to deceive or defraud
4. archaic
an impostor; cheat
verb
5. (transitive)
to make a fraudulent imitation of
6. (intransitive)
to make counterfeits
7.
to feign; simulate
8. (transitive)
to imitate; copy
Derived forms
counterfeiter (ˈcounterfeiter)
noun
Word origin
C13: from Old French contrefait, from contrefaire to copy, from contre-counter- + faire to make, from Latin facere
counterfeit in American English
(ˈkaʊntərˌfɪt)
adjective
1.
made in imitation of something genuine so as to deceive or defraud; forged
counterfeit money
2.
pretended; sham; feigned
counterfeit sorrow
noun
3.
a.
an imitation made to deceive; forgery
b.
something that so closely resembles something else as to mislead
4. Obsolete
an impostor; cheat
verb transitive, verb intransitive
5.
to make an imitation of (money, pictures, etc.), usually in order to deceive or defraud
6.
to pretend; feign
7.
to resemble (something) closely
SIMILAR WORDS: ˌartiˈficial, false
Derived forms
counterfeiter (ˈcounterˌfeiter)
noun
Word origin
ME countrefete < OFr contrefait, pp. of contrefaire, to make in opposition, imitate < contre-, counter- + faire < L facere, to make, do1
Examples of 'counterfeit' in a sentence
counterfeit
There were also weapons and counterfeit goods available to buy.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
It will be easier and cheaper to produce counterfeit products if the packs all look the same.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
There is an appetite for counterfeit goods.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
She also laundered money and sold counterfeit goods.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Be careful if you are looking for help online because some websites are peddling counterfeit drugs.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
How can you detect counterfeit bank notes?
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Both admitted tendering counterfeit notes and got nine months in jail.
The Sun (2009)
He admitted possessing a counterfeit note.
The Sun (2010)
There is the quality issue with blood donations and the slim chance of being in an unscrupulous clinic that uses counterfeit drugs.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Whether you are moving people or drugs or counterfeit goods, our focus is not there.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
It's hard not to have a soft spot for counterfeit goods.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
But this doesn't deter many people from setting up sites selling counterfeit drugs.
The Sun (2009)
If consumers cannot tell the genuine product from the counterfeit product, then there is an incentive to counterfeit.
Miller, Roger LeRoy & Fishe, Raymond P. H. Microeconomics: Price Theory in Practice (1995)
The group is alleging that eBay has not taken a strong enough position against the sale of counterfeit goods on its website.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Some branded products may be counterfeit or, in the case of electrical items, dangerous.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
It has signed an agreement to train 6,000 government inspectors at 16 main customs points to recognise counterfeit products.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
He had evaded a long prison sentence in 2000 on a technicality after being caught with 1.6 million of counterfeit money.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Instead he and his friends headed to Holland, running riot with counterfeit currency and dodgy plastic supplied by an older villain.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
The money was counterfeit and brought for the purpose from Russia to the UK.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Pakistan has been accused of economic sabotage after a surge in the amount of counterfeit currency being discovered in the vaults of India's central bank.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
In other languages
counterfeit
British English: counterfeit ADJECTIVE
Counterfeit money, goods, or documents are not real, but they look exactly like real ones.
He admitted possessing and delivering counterfeit currency.
American English: counterfeit
Brazilian Portuguese: falsificado
Chinese: 伪造的
European Spanish: falso
French: faux
German: gefälscht
Italian: falso
Japanese: 偽造の
Korean: 위조된
European Portuguese: falsificado
Latin American Spanish: falso
British English: counterfeit VERB
If someone counterfeits something, they make a version of it that is not genuine but has been made to look genuine in order to deceive people.
...the coins he is alleged to have counterfeited.
American English: counterfeit
Brazilian Portuguese: falsificar
Chinese: 伪造
European Spanish: falsificar
French: contrefaire
German: fälschen
Italian: falsificare
Japanese: 偽造する
Korean: 위조하다
European Portuguese: falsificar
Latin American Spanish: falsificar
Chinese translation of 'counterfeit'
counterfeit
(ˈkauntəfɪt)
adj
[money, goods, document]伪(偽)造的 (wěizào de)
n(c)
仿制(製)品 (fǎngzhìpǐn) (件, jiàn)
vt
伪(偽)造 (wěizào)
(adjective)
Definition
pretended
He admitted possessing and delivering counterfeit currency.
Synonyms
fake
The bank manager is said to have issued fake certificates.
copied
false
He paid for a false passport.
forged
She was carrying a forged American passport.
imitation
a set of novels bound in imitation leather
bogus
bogus insurance claims
simulated
a necklace of simulated pearls
sham
The election has been denounced as a sham by world leaders.
fraudulent
fraudulent claims about being a nurse
feigned
He answered me with feigned indifference.
spurious
a spurious framework for analysis
ersatz
an electric fire with ersatz logs
phoney or phony (informal)
pseud or pseudo (informal)
Opposites
real
,
original
,
genuine
,
authentic
,
dinkum (Australian, New Zealand, informal)
,
good
(noun)
Definition
an imitation designed to deceive or defraud
Counterfeits of the company's goods are flooding Europe.
Synonyms
fake
It is filled with famous works of art, and every one of them is a fake.
copy
Always keep a copy of everything in your own files.
reproduction
a reproduction of a religious painting
imitation
the most accurate imitation of Chinese architecture in Europe
sham
Their promises were exposed as a hollow sham.
forgery
The letter was a forgery.
phoney or phony (informal)
fraud
He believes many psychics are frauds.
warez (computing)
Opposites
the real thing
,
the real McCoy
(verb)
Definition
to feign
He financed a plot to counterfeit gold coins.
Synonyms
fake
Did they fake this evidence?
copy
We all tend to copy people we admire.
coquettish gestures which she had copied from actresses in soap operas
forge
They forged dollar notes.
imitate
a precedent which may be imitated by other activists
simulate
They rolled about, simulating a bloodthirsty fight.
sham
fabricate
All four claim that the evidence against them is fabricated.
feign
You can't feign interest in something you loathe.
Additional synonyms
in the sense of bogus
Definition
not genuine
bogus insurance claims
Synonyms
fake,
false,
artificial,
forged,
dummy,
imitation,
sham,
fraudulent,
pseudo (informal),
counterfeit,
spurious,
ersatz,
phoney or phony (informal),
assumed
in the sense of copy
Definition
a thing made to look exactly like another
Always keep a copy of everything in your own files.
Synonyms
reproduction,
duplicate,
photocopy,
carbon copy (old-fashioned),
image,
print,
fax (old-fashioned),
representation,
fake,
replica,
imitation,
forgery,
counterfeit,
Xerox (old-fashioned),
transcription,
likeness,
replication,
facsimile,
Photostat (old-fashioned)
in the sense of copy
Definition
to act or try to be like another
We all tend to copy people we admire.coquettish gestures which she had copied from actresses in soap operas