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Counterfeit vs Adulterate - What's the difference?

counterfeit | adulterate | Related terms |

Counterfeit is a related term of adulterate.


As adjectives the difference between counterfeit and adulterate

is that counterfeit is false, especially of money; intended to deceive or carry appearance of being genuine while adulterate is tending to commit adultery.

As verbs the difference between counterfeit and adulterate

is that counterfeit is to falsely produce what appears to be official or valid; to produce a forged copy of while adulterate is to corrupt.

As a noun counterfeit

is a non-genuine article; a fake.

counterfeit

English

Adjective

(-)
  • False, especially of money; intended to deceive or carry appearance of being genuine.
    • This counterfeit watch looks like the real thing, but it broke a week after I bought it.
  • Inauthentic.
    • counterfeit sympathy
  • Assuming the appearance of something; deceitful; hypocritical.
  • * Shakespeare
    • an arrant counterfeit rascal

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A non-genuine article; a fake.
  • *c.1597 William Shakespeare, Henry IV part I, Act II, scene 4:
    • Never call a true piece of gold a counterfeit .
  • * Macaulay
    • Some of these counterfeits are fabricated with such exquisite taste and skill, that it is the achievement of criticism to distinguish them from originals.
  • One who counterfeits; a counterfeiter.
  • (obsolete) That which resembles another thing; a likeness; a portrait; a counterpart.
  • * William Shakespeare, Timon of Athens
    • Thou drawest a counterfeit / Best in all Athens.
  • * 1590 Edmund Spenser, Faerie Queene Book III, canto VIII:
    • Even Nature's self envied the same, / And grudged to see the counterfeit should shame / The thing itself.
  • (obsolete) An impostor; a cheat.
  • * c.1597 William Shakespeare, Henry IV part I, Act V, scene 4
    • I fear thou art another counterfeit ; / And yet, in faith, thou bear'st thee like a king.

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To falsely produce what appears to be official or valid; to produce a forged copy of.
    • to counterfeit the signature of another, coins, notes, etc.
  • (obsolete) To produce a faithful copy of.
  • *
  • (obsolete) To feign; to mimic.
    • to counterfeit the voice of another person
  • * Oliver Goldsmith, The Village Schoolmaster
    • Full well they laughed with counterfeited glee / At all his jokes, for many a joke had he.
  • Of a turn or river card, to invalidate a player's hand by making a better hand on the board.

    • adulterate

    English

    (wikipedia adulterate)

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Tending to commit adultery.
  • * , I.v.
    • Ay, that incestuous, that adulterate beast,
    With witchcraft of his wit, with traitorous gifts-
    O wicked wit and gifts, that have the power
    So to seduce!- won to his shameful lust
    The will of my most seeming-virtuous queen.
  • Corrupted; impure; adulterated.

    • Verb

    (adulterat)
  • To corrupt.
  • To spoil by adding impurities.
    • to adulterate food, drink, drugs, coins, etc.
  • * Spectator
    • The present war has adulterated our tongue with strange words.
  • To commit adultery.
  • To defile by adultery.
    • (Milton)

    Synonyms

    * debase

    Derived terms

    * adulterant * adulteration

    References

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