English
imposture
Imposture comes from Late Latin impostura.
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEimpostura
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600imposture
- Englishearliest quotation 1774same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEimpostura
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600imposture
- Englishearliest quotation 1774same form
Earliest quotation: 1774, Oliver Goldsmith, Of the Earliest State of Greece: “Among an unenlightened people every impoſture is likely to…”
Every English word from Late Latin impostura
Today it means
noun The act or conduct of an impostor; deception practiced under a false or assumed character; fraud or imposition.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Late Latin impostura / imposture