Word of the Week: factitious (făk-TĬSH-əs) Definition (Adjective) Not genuine, intrinsic, natural, or spontaneous; inauthentic; artificially created or developed; made up for a particular occasion or purpose; arising from custom, habit, or convention. In Context "Extreme factitious cases are called Munchausen syndrome, named after a colorful, 18th-century German cavalry officer who was prone to telling extravagant tall tales." Robert L. Taylor, Psychological Masquerade: Distinguishing Psychological from Organic Disorders, Third Edition, 2007.