hoax

is a contraction of hocus, as in hocus pocus.

hoax, in verb form, is a contraction of hocus, which is itself a shortened form of hocus pocus, itself thought to be a slight on the Catholic mass (in particular, the liturgical phrase hoc est corpus).

is a lie that must have something extra, something outrageous, ingenious, dramatic or sensational about it.

Alex Boese, the curator of the Museum of Hoaxes, argues that hoaxes must be highly visible and public. To be a hoax a lie must have something extra. It must be somehow outrageous, ingenious, dramatic or sensational. Most of all, it must command the attention of the public... the key word in this definition is "public." In my opinion, there is no such thing as a private hoax. A deception rises to the level of hoax by achieving public notoriety. (Boese 2)

hoax, n.Definitions

hoax