The word 'phony' means something that is not real or is fake. It can also describe a person who is pretending to be something they are not.
You pronounce 'phony' like 'foh-nee'.
The word 'phony' comes from the late 19th century and is believed to be a slang term that may have come from the word 'phone,' which was used to refer to something that is not genuine.