Langimage
English

deceive

|de/ceive|

B2

/dɪˈsiːv/

mislead or trick

Etymology
Etymology Information

'deceive' originates from Old French, specifically the word 'decevoir,' where 'de-' meant 'from' and 'cevoir' meant 'to take.'

Historical Evolution

'decevoir' transformed into the Middle English word 'deceiven,' and eventually became the modern English word 'deceive.'

Meaning Changes

Initially, it meant 'to take away from,' but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'to mislead or trick someone.'

Meanings by Part of Speech

Verb 1

to cause someone to believe something that is not true, typically in order to gain some personal advantage.

He deceived his friends into thinking he was rich.

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Antonyms

Verb 2

to give a mistaken impression.

Appearances can deceive.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Last updated: 2025/01/11 11:35