engañosa

Engañosa is a feminine Spanish adjective meaning deceitful or misleading. It is formed from the verb engañar (to deceive) with the suffix -osa, which yields adjectives meaning “full of” or “characterized by.” The masculine form is engañoso, and the word agrees with the noun in gender and number (engañosa, engañosas, etc.). The pronunciation is roughly en-ga-ño-sa, with the palatal ñ.

Usage notes: engañosa describes things or people that involve deception. Common collocations include publicidad engañosa (deceptive advertising), una promesa engañosa (a misleading promise), and una explicación engañosa (a misleading explanation). It can describe a person as engañosa, though context often favors alternatives such as una persona poco fiable or alguien engañoso depending on tone and emphasis.

Etymology: the adjective derives from the verb engañar, with the productive suffix -osa to form a descriptively negative attribute. The root engañar traces back to medieval Spanish with origins related to deception and fraud.

Related terms: the adjective counterparts include engañoso (masculine) and engañosos/engañosas (plural). Nouns related to the concept include engaño (deception, trick) and engañamiento (deception or misleading act). The expression publicidad engañosa is a standard term in consumer law and media critique.

See also: engaño, engañar, engañoso, publicidad engañosa. In usage, engañosa conveys a negative assessment of credibility, often emphasizing intentional misrepresentation rather than mere error.