apo-

Ancient Greek

ἀπό (apó)

Away from, off, separated from

Ancient Greek

ἀπό- (apo-)

Prefix expressing removal, distance, or concealment

krypt-

Ancient Greek

κρύπτω (krúptō)

To hide or conceal

Ancient Greek

κρυπτός (kruptós)

Hidden or concealed; the basis of apókruphos

Combined

ἀπόκρυφος (apókruphos)

Greek compound meaning “hidden,” literally suggesting something put away from view

Ancient Greek

ἀπόκρυφος (apókruphos)

Hidden, obscure, or difficult to understand; applied to writings not approved for public reading

Late Latin

apocryphus

Secret or not approved for public reading; apocrypha (scripta) referred to religious writings

Middle English

apocrypha, apocrifa, apocrif

The books associated with the biblical Apocrypha

English

apocryphal

Formed from apocrypha plus -al; by the late 16th century, meaning of doubtful authenticity

Modern English

apocryphal

Word Ancestry

apo-

Ancient Greek

ἀπό (apó)

Away from, off, separated from

Ancient Greek

ἀπό- (apo-)

Prefix expressing removal, distance, or concealment

krypt-

Ancient Greek

κρύπτω (krúptō)

To hide or conceal

Ancient Greek

κρυπτός (kruptós)

Hidden or concealed; the basis of apókruphos

Combined

ἀπόκρυφος (apókruphos)

Greek compound meaning “hidden,” literally suggesting something put away from view

Ancient Greek

ἀπόκρυφος (apókruphos)

Hidden, obscure, or difficult to understand; applied to writings not approved for public reading

Late Latin

apocryphus

Secret or not approved for public reading; apocrypha (scripta) referred to religious writings

Middle English

apocrypha, apocrifa, apocrif

The books associated with the biblical Apocrypha

English

apocryphal

Formed from apocrypha plus -al; by the late 16th century, meaning of doubtful authenticity

Modern English

apocryphal

“

Picture a book quietly removed from the public reading shelf: that is the image tucked inside the Greek apókruphos, “hidden away.” Greek apó meant “off” or “away,” while krýptō meant “to hide”—the same family that eventually gave English cryptic, cryptography, and encrypt. By Late Latin, apocryphus described writings considered secret or unsuitable for public reading, and medieval English used apocrypha for religious books outside the accepted biblical canon. The adjective apocryphal appeared in English in the 1580s, then widened beyond theology to describe any story with a suspiciously glossy, “trust me, I heard this from someone” quality. So when a tale is apocryphal, imagine it not necessarily false, but tucked in a literary cupboard with its author’s name rubbed off.

The Story

“

Picture a book quietly removed from the public reading shelf: that is the image tucked inside the Greek apókruphos, “hidden away.” Greek apó meant “off” or “away,” while krýptō meant “to hide”—the same family that eventually gave English cryptic, cryptography, and encrypt. By Late Latin, apocryphus described writings considered secret or unsuitable for public reading, and medieval English used apocrypha for religious books outside the accepted biblical canon. The adjective apocryphal appeared in English in the 1580s, then widened beyond theology to describe any story with a suspiciously glossy, “trust me, I heard this from someone” quality. So when a tale is apocryphal, imagine it not necessarily false, but tucked in a literary cupboard with its author’s name rubbed off.