Definition

(Adjective) Superficially resembling or simulating, but lacking the genuine character or qualities of, something; not true or genuine; false, sham, counterfeit.

In Context

“The second potential problem is one of spurious correlations; the chance that an association between one of our scales and independent variable X might actually be due to the action of another independent variable Y.”

Martin King Whyte, The Status of Women in Preindustrial Societies, 1978.