lemonadebunny@lemmy.ca to Asklemmy@lemmy.mlEnglish · 1 year agoWhat is something that sounds 100% false but is actually 100% true?message-squaremessage-square657fedilinkarrow-up1640arrow-down118
arrow-up1622arrow-down1message-squareWhat is something that sounds 100% false but is actually 100% true?lemonadebunny@lemmy.ca to Asklemmy@lemmy.mlEnglish · 1 year agomessage-square657fedilink
minus-squarePsychobiologist@lemmy.mllinkfedilinkEnglisharrow-up27·1 year agoUntil recently the word “factoid” didn’t mean a small bit of trivia. It meant something that sounded true or was accepted as a fact even though it was incorrect.
minus-squareTheHalc@sopuli.xyzlinkfedilinkEnglisharrow-up4·1 year agoIt’s like the word asteroid. Aster means star, but an asteroid isn’t a star, it can just look like one.
minus-squareRikudou_Sage@lemmings.worldlinkfedilinkEnglisharrow-up3·1 year agoYep! Learned that word in Dune books, was confused when I first saw it online meaning something entirely different.
minus-squareSimulation6@sopuli.xyzlinkfedilinkEnglisharrow-up2·1 year agoMeme also suffered this fate, Used to mean an idea that was transmitted from person to person like a disease. I think the meaning of AI has also become watered down recently.
minus-squarePatapon Enjoyer@lemmy.worldlinkfedilinkEnglisharrow-up1·1 year agoThis sounds like a factoid
minus-squarejerdle_lemmy@lemmy.worldlinkfedilinkEnglisharrow-up1·1 year agoThat’s definitely what it should mean. -oid means resembling or pertaining to, it’s not a diminutive.
Until recently the word “factoid” didn’t mean a small bit of trivia. It meant something that sounded true or was accepted as a fact even though it was incorrect.
It’s like the word asteroid. Aster means star, but an asteroid isn’t a star, it can just look like one.
Yep! Learned that word in Dune books, was confused when I first saw it online meaning something entirely different.
Meme also suffered this fate, Used to mean an idea that was transmitted from person to person like a disease.
I think the meaning of AI has also become watered down recently.
This sounds like a factoid
That’s definitely what it should mean. -oid means resembling or pertaining to, it’s not a diminutive.