hoax

This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term.

Reportedly a form of hocus. Possibly from hocus-pocus or Latin iocus (“joke”). Compare hokey.

• (UK) IPA^(key): /həʊks/

  • Audio (UK):

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• (US) IPA^(key): /hoʊks/

  • Audio (US):

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• Rhymes: -əʊks
• Homophone: hokes

hoax (third-person singular simple present hoaxes, present participle hoaxing, simple past and past participle hoaxed)

1. (transitive) To deceive (someone) by making them believe something that has been maliciously or mischievously fabricated.

• hoaxer
• hoaxster (rare)

hoax (plural hoaxes)

1. Anything deliberately intended to deceive or trick.

   The phone call to the police about a tiger in a tree turned out to be a hoax.

   The news story about the pop singer coming to town, unfortunately for his fans, turned out to be a hoax.

• (deliberately false story or report): canard

• (deliberately false story or report): climate hoax, coronahoax, global hoax, hoaxical, Hoaxocaust, Holohoax