Standard Lemma guide

pseudologue

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

A pathological liar

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • 1996, Charles V Ford Lies! Lies!! Lies!!! http://print.google.com/print?id=_FSc5C2bFYUC&pg=PA135&lpg=PA135&sig=65p2wlZfcRu3nutVAX-2YsZv2tk Unlike a delusional psychotic person, the pseudologue will abandon the story or change it if confronted with contradictory evidence or sufficient disbelief.
  • 1997, Alan J. Cunnien, “Psychiatric and Medical Syndromes Associated with Deception,” in Clinical Assessment of Malingering and Deception, Richard Rogers ed. http://books.google.com/books?ie=UTF-8&hl=en&id=YZ6uK4Cjd_MC&pg=PA38&lpg=PA38&sig=U2ylaYiNPRuZhU8c6xYEif8SV8E Unlike the common braggart, however, the pseudologue falsifies a substantial amount of information with bearing upon activities, acquaintances, or personal identity.
  • 2004, Ralph Keyes, The Post-Truth Era http://books.google.com/books?ie=UTF-8&hl=en&id=eKRyyOIJgqQC&pg=PA116&lpg=PA116&sig=Mu90a_dMEhkqCOXth_drbJZhk3s Even a grandiose pseudologue, he writes, must be evaluated carefully to see if he is a compulsive liar or simply “someone for whom truth is temporarily unavailable.”

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Latin pseudologus (“liar”), from Ancient Greek ψευδολόγος (pseudológos, “speaking falsely, lying”). Equivalent to pseudo- + -logue.

Across languages

Translations

2 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • French: pseudologue — pathological liar
  • German: Pseudologe — pathological liar