Definition of: forgery

(fôr′jər·ē, fōr′-) noun plural ·ger·ies
1. The act of falsely making or materially altering, with intent to defraud, any writing which, if genuine, might be of legal efficacy or the foundation of a legal liability.
2. The act of counterfeiting coin.
3. A spurious article bearing a false signature, as a painting, sculpture, or book.
4. Obs. The exercise of invention. Synonym: counterfeiting. Imitating or altering a coin or note which passes as currency or money is counterfeiting; the making of a fraudulent writing, or the material alteration of a genuine writing with intent to defraud, is forgery; the changing of the figures in a genuine note or check, the unauthorized appending of another's signature, the transferring of a genuine signature to a document for which it was not intended, are all instances of forgery; the making of spurious coins, the raising of government notes, bonds, etc., to higher values, are instances of counterfeiting.