Free US Law Dictionary

Counterfeiting

A counterfeiting is an imitation that is made usually with the intent to deceptively represent its content or origins. The word counterfeit most frequently describes forged currency or documents, but can also describe clothing, software, pharmaceuticals, watches, or more recently, cars and motorcycles, especially when this results in patent infringement or trademark infringement.

By contrast, a knockoff item may imitate a well-known one, be sold for a lower price, and be of inferior quality, but there is usually no attempt to deceive the buyer, or infringe upon brand names, patents, trademarks or copyrights.