† Plinyismn.
Obsolete. rare.
A statement or account of dubious correctness or accuracy, such as some found in the Naturalis Historia of Pliny the Elder ( a.d. 23–79). (Only recorded in Mather.)
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > disregard for truth, falsehood > incorrect information > [noun] > instance of
shepherd's calendar1506
misreport1530
misrecital1539
misinformation?1615
missaying1650
Plinyism1693
misstatement1790
1693 C. Mather Wonders Invisible World (ed. 2) 57 The Notion of procuring Invisibility, by any Natural Expedient, yet known, is, I Believe, a meer Plinyism.
1702 C. Mather Magnalia Christi iii. ii. xix. 122/1 There is frequently..much Likeliness between a Plinyism and a Fable.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2006; most recently modified version published online March 2019).
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n.1693