What does apocrypha mean?
Apocrypha refers to writings or accounts whose authenticity is doubtful, yet which circulate widely and are often accepted as true by the uncritical. The term applies broadly to legends, anecdotes, and claims of uncertain provenance — for instance, colorful but unverifiable stories about historical figures — as well as narrowly to a specific group of ancient religious texts. In its religious sense, 'the Apocrypha' denotes books associated with the Old Testament that are not found in the Hebrew Bible; Roman Catholic and Orthodox traditions accept many of them as deuterocanonical scripture, while Protestant traditions generally exclude them. Derived from Greek words meaning 'to hide away,' the word originally suggested writings concealed from public use because of their obscure or disputed origins. Today, calling something apocrypha signals healthy skepticism: it acknowledges a story's cultural persistence while questioning its factual basis. The related adjective 'apocryphal' performs similar work at the level of individual statements or anecdotes.
nounWritings or statements of doubtful authenticity, although widely circulated as being true. In a religious context, it refers specifically to texts of uncertain authorship or canonicity, such as the biblical Apocrypha.
- Writings or reports of doubtful authenticity, though widely circulated as true.
- (Religious) A specific collection of ancient texts associated with the Old Testament that are not part of the Hebrew Bible or most Protestant canons, but are regarded as canonical by some Christian traditions.
"Much of what is written about the reclusive author's private life is apocrypha, repeated so often that it has come to be accepted as fact."
"Historians have long dismissed the emperor's alleged dying words as mere apocrypha."
"She spent years studying the Apocrypha to understand the theological debates of the early church."
'Apocrypha' functions as a plural noun in English, derived from the neuter plural of the Greek adjective. A singular form 'apocryphon' exists in scholarly writing to refer to an individual text of doubtful authenticity, but it is uncommon outside academic contexts.
"These apocrypha about the founder's early life persist despite the absence of any documentary evidence."
The word 'apocrypha' literally means 'hidden things' in Greek — these were writings deemed too secret (or too suspect) for public reading.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of apocrypha
Apocrypha derives from the Greek 'apokryphos', meaning 'hidden' or 'obscure', formed from the verb 'apokryptein' ('to hide away'). The word entered Latin and then European scholarly usage through early Christian debates over which writings deserved public reading in churches. By the medieval and early modern periods, 'apocrypha' had become firmly attached both to non-canonical biblical books and, more generally, to any account of doubtful authenticity. It shares this Greek root with the adjective 'apocryphal' and, more distantly, with words built on the related root 'kryptos' (hidden), such as 'cryptic'.
Related word forms
How apocrypha is actually used
In general usage, 'apocrypha' often carries a slightly literary or scholarly tone and is typically used with a plural or collective sense. When applied to religious scripture, it usually appears capitalized ('the Apocrypha') and refers to a specific set of books whose status varies across denominations — accepted by Roman Catholic and Orthodox traditions as deuterocanonical, but excluded from Protestant Bibles.
Easily confused with apocrypha
Apocrypha is the noun referring to the body of dubious writings themselves, while apocryphal is the adjective describing something as being of doubtful authenticity.
Canonical texts are those officially accepted as genuine and authoritative, whereas apocrypha are works excluded from or doubted within that accepted canon.