Where does “hoax” come from?
Hoax derives from English hocus, a word of unknown origin and meaning that appeared in the late 17th century.
hoax (English): To deceive by making them believe something that...
Definitions
- To deceive by making them believe something that...
Ancestry of “hoax”, step by step
hoax traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Latin iocus
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | iocus | a joke, jest; a form of amusement; pastime, sport |
| 2 | Proto-Italic | jokos | word, saying |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | yokos | word, utterance |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | yek- | to utter |
via English hocus
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | hocus | To play a trick on, to trick (someone); to hoax; to cheat |
| 2 | English | hocus-pocus | abracadabra, hey presto; Some ineffectual action... |