


To falsify, deceive, or defraud. A copy or imitation of something that is intended to be taken as authentic and genuine in order to deceive another.

A counterfeit coin is one that may pass for a genuine coin and may include a lower denomination coin altered so that it may pass as a higher denomination coin.


1) adj. describing a document, particularly money, which is forged or created to look real, and intended to pass for real. 2) v. to criminally forge or print a false copy of money, bonds, or other valuable documents, intending to profit from the falsity. 3) n. shorthand for phoney money passed for real. (See: forgery, utter)


noun act of copying, bogus, copy, crimmnal imitation, deception, ersatz, fabrication, fake, false copy, false duplication, false representation, false reproduction, falsehood, falseness, falsification, falsity, falsus, forged copy, forgery, fradulent copy, fraudulent imitation, imitation, plagiary, pretense, simulation, unauthorized copy
Associated concepts: counterfeit bill, counterfeited written instrument
See also: assume, assumed, bogus, copy, deception, deceptive, disguise, dishonest, disingenuous, dupe, erroneous, fabricate, fake, false, falsification, falsify, feign, feigned, fictitious, forgery, hoax, illusory, imitate, imitation, impersonate, imposture, invent, lie, mendacious, meretricious, mislead, mock, palter, pirate, plagiarize, pose, pretend, prevaricate, profess, replacement, sham, simulate, specious, spurious, subterfuge, synthetic, untrue


References in periodicals archive ?
See Moken, supra note 22, at 533 (discussing problems hindering eradication of counterfeit pharmaceutical production).
GOOD RIDDANCE: Counterfeit goods are crushed by Trading Standards HEADING FOR THE CRUSHER: More counterfeit goods are destroyed
Residents have complained that the counterfeit peddlers clog up sidewalks, block subway and storefront entrances, cause noise pollution, and trigger turf wars between legal vendors and legal businesses, other police officers said.
Yet, there are ways to handle a situation if you are passed a counterfeit note.
For instance, working with the ISC we have made good progress in Paraguay, and thereby reduced the distribution of counterfeit products in the entire Mercosur trading area.
It is not clear from the public information whether any of the mislabeled or counterfeit drugs got into the legitimate distribution chain (meaning that anyone's medicine could be at risk) -- or whether they were ordered from unknown Web sites that could have been set up by anybody.
Computer Ease of Pittsburgh allegedly distributed counterfeit components of Office Pro 97 and the Windows(R) 95 operating system (Case No.
Sometimes government officials own factories and businesses producing counterfeit products, yielding a conflict of interest that supports counterfeiting.
So, why has counterfeit crime gotten so out of hand?
Counterfeit product manufacturers rely on deception, the Internet, and prices below market level to find their way into our homes, businesses, and commercial and industrial facilities.