Truthiness

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /ˈtɹuːθinÉ™s/

Origin

From truthy + -ness. Modern sense created in the 17 October 2005 episode of The Colbert Report.

Full definition of truthiness

Noun

1. (rare, archaic) Truthfulness. from 19th c.
2. (US, colloquial) Superficial or asserted truthfulness, without recourse to evidence. from 21st c.
• 2005, Stephen Colbert, The Colbert Report, 17 Oct 2005, (transcription):'Cause you're looking at a straight-shooter, America. I tell it like it is. I calls 'em like I sees 'em. I will speak to you in plain simple English. And that brings us to tonight's word: truthiness.
• 2013 , w, Gulp Chapter 8 , Like the contemporary urban myth, tales of stomach frogs and "bosom serpents" persisted because they have truthiness.

Synonyms

• (quality of seemingly true) truthlikeness, verisimilitude