Obs. Forms: 4 contrefaiture, 6 countrefeiture, contreyfayture, 9 counterfeiture. [a. OF. contrefaiture, ad. L. type *contrāfactūra, f. contrāfacĕre: see COUNTERFEIT v. and -URE.]
1. The action of counterfeiting; feigning, pretence, deceit; forgery.
c. 1325. Poem Times Edw. II., 280, in Pol. Songs (Camden), 226. Al his contrefaiture is colour of sinne, and bost.
1804. W. Taylor, in Robberds, Mem., I. 514. I converted myself to the belief that they are forgeries by trying to find arguments for their counterfeiture.
b. quasi-concr. An imitation, counterfeit.
1548. Gest, Pr. Masse, 97. A countrefeiture and resemblaunce of thee true sacrifice.
2. Mis-shaping, deformity. [A French sense.]
c. 1500. Melusine, 198. It was grete dommage, whan eny contreyfayture was in the membres of suche noble men.
