a ‧ poc ‧ ry ‧ phal /əˈpɒkrəf ə l, əˈpɒkrɪf ə l $ əˈpɑː-/ BrE AmE adjective
[ Date: 1500-1600 ; Origin: apocrypha 'works not by the claimed writer' (14-21 centuries) , from Late Latin , from apocryphus 'secret, not part of the official list of works' , from Greek , from apokryptein 'to hide away' , from apo- ( ⇨ ↑ apocalypse ) + kryptein 'to hide' ]
an apocryphal story is well-known but probably not true