Now rare. Also 5 specioustee, 6–7 speciositie. [ad. late L. speciōsitās (= F. spéciosité, It. speziosità, Sp. especiosidad, Pg. especiosidade) beauty, good appearance or looks, f. speciōsus SPECIOUS a.: see -ITY.]
† 1. The quality of being beautiful; beauty, fair or lovely appearance. Also, a beautiful thing. Obs.
a. 1470. Harding, Chron., ccvii. He had … Iewelles in chestes, and stones of precioustee, And other Marchauntes in specioustee.
1535. Stewart, Cron. Scot., I. 107. The palice [that] proper wes to se, Poleist perfyte with all speciositie.
1627. Sybthorpe, Apost. Obed., 25. Although the Common-weale be safest and most beautifull when it is at unitie in it selfe, and divisions are alwayes dangerous, yet, that the speciositie may the better appeare to us, wee must survey it by particulars.
1660. H. More, Myst. Godl., IV. xii. 128. The Transfiguration of his person on the top of mount Tabor into so great a glory as all the speciosities of the world could not equalize.
1731. Bailey (vol. II.), Speciousness, Speciosity, fairness of show and appearance.
2. The quality of being specious; speciousness.
1608. T. James, Apol. for Wickliffe, 33. He preached against the pretiosity, speciosity, and miraculositie, and sundry other sophistications about images.
1839. Carlyle, Chartism, v. Speciosity in all departments usurps the place of reality…; instead of performance, there is appearance of performance. Ibid. (1851), Sterling, I. v. (1872), 35. Professions, built so largely on speciosity instead of performance.
b. pl. Specious actions, promises, etc.
1837. Carlyle, Fr. Rev., II. V. i. Poor Paris;… enveloped in speciosities, in falsehood which knows itself false. Ibid. (1858), Fredk. Gt., I. i. I. 11. The shops declining to take hypocrisies and speciosities any farther.
