Ebatõeline

Ebatõeline is an Estonian adjective meaning not true or fictitious. It describes statements, claims, data or representations that do not correspond to reality or that are designed to mislead. The term can carry a neutral descriptive sense when used in analysis, or an evaluative sense when judging the reliability of information. In everyday use it is often applied to assertions that lack verifiable evidence or that contradict known facts.

Etymology and grammar: the word is formed from tõeline, meaning true, with the negating prefix e-, yielding ebatõeline. It is used attributively before a noun, for example ebatõeline väide (false claim) or ebatõeline teooria (fictitious theory). In standard prose it can also function predicatively, as in Väide on ebatõeline. The associated adverbial form is commonly ebatõeliselt, used to describe actions or representations done in an untruthful manner.

Usage and context: ebatõeline is widely used in journalism, science, law, history and media literacy to flag information that is unreliable, unsupported, or deliberately deceptive. It helps distinguish between verifiable facts and statements lacking credibility. In academic discussion, the term may appear in analyses of misinformation, pseudoscience or counterfeit data, where identifying ebatõeline elements is important for evaluating arguments and evidence.

See also: misinformation, falsehood, deception, counterfeit data, pseudoscience.