English → Latin
“counterfeit” in Latin
imitorto represent, express, portray; to imitate, act like, copy after, seek to resemble, counterfeiteffingōto form, fashion; to represent, portray, express, depict; imitate, copy; to wipe out, wipe cleanexprimōto squeeze out; to press (out); to express; to imitate or copyassimulōto consider as similar, make similar, assimilate; to consider as similar, compare; to represent something that is not assimulōto make like, simulate, imitate, copy, represent; to feign, pretend; to behave or act (as if, as though)fictīciusfeigned, artificially produced
The English word counterfeit itself goes back to Latin faciō, through facere.
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
counterfeit
Make a (fraudulent) imitation of, imitari (general term): imitando exprimere or effingere. (The words are found in this connection and order), effingere et exprimere: imitari et exprimere; also effingere or exprimere only: assimulare (to make anything like another; then with accessory notion of deception; e.g., the human voice, sermonem humanum): to counterfeit anybody’s handwriting, alicujus chirogrftphum imitari or assimulare: to counterfeit money, numos adulterinos percutere (after Suet., Ner., 25); monetam adulterinam exercere (Ulp., Dig., 48, 13, 6, § 1): to counterfeit a will, testamentum subjicere, supponere, subdere. [Vid: FORGE.]
To put on the appearance of, simulare or assimulare (e.g., simulare studium alicujus rei, zeal in a cause; mortem, metum, diffidentiam alicujus rei; sedulitatem; assimulare anum; se laetum): to counterfeit sickness, simulare aegrum; assimulare se aegrum; simulare valetudinem: to counterfeit learning, simulare se doctum esse; simulare doctrinam: to counterfeit cheerfulness, assimulare se laetum; or hilaritatem fingere: to counterfeit piety, *se pium erga deum simulare: ihe appearance of youth, mentiri juvenem (Martisalis): insanity, simulare se furere (Cic.).
counterfeit s.
circumlocution with the adjectives under COUNTERFEIT: e.g., to prove anything to be a counterfait, aliquid adulterinum (ficticium, etc.) esse probare (after Quint., 2, 17, 17).
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for counterfeit?
- The usual Latin words for “counterfeit” are imitor, effingō, exprimō; also assimulō, simulō, fictīcius. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.
Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.