1. A literary work falsely attributed to an author, especially a biblical or ancient text claimed to be written by a famous figure but actually composed by someone else.
Usage: scholarly; often used in religious studies and textual criticism; plural: pseudepigrapha

Examples

• Scholars debate whether certain epistles are genuine Pauline letters or pseudepigrapha.
• The Book of Enoch is considered a pseudepigraphon because it was attributed to the biblical Enoch but written centuries later.
• Many pseudepigrapha were created to lend authority to religious teachings by associating them with revered ancient figures.
• The discovery of pseudepigrapha in ancient libraries has helped scholars understand early religious communities.
• Identifying a pseudepigraphon requires careful analysis of language, style, and historical context.