Deceit Means Catching Someone
Deceit is the act of misleading. The Latin root means to catch or ensnare, which is what a deception does.
Deceit is the act of deliberately causing someone to believe something untrue. The Latin *decipere* means to ensnare or catch, from *capere*, to take. The image is a trap: a deceived person has been caught. The same root gives *capture*, *receive*, *conceive* and *deceive* itself.
- The act of misleading. *A web of deceit.*
- A deceitful act. *Practising deceits.*
- Deceive — to mislead. *Do not deceive yourself.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | deceit | Deliberate deceit. |
| Verb | deceive | Deceive the buyer. |
| Adjective | deceitful | A deceitful reply. |
| Noun | deception | A clever deception. |
| Adjective | deceptive | Deceptive calm. |
How it is used in a sentence
- He was accused of deceit.The quality or act.
- Appearances can be deceptive.Misleading.
- A deceitful person deceives; a deceptive one may not intend to.A useful distinction.
Words from *capere*, to take
- Deceive — to take in, to ensnare
- Receive — to take back
- Conceive — to take together, to form an idea
- Perceive — to take thoroughly
- Capture — to take by force
From Old French *deceite*, from Latin *decipere*, to ensnare, from *de*, from, and *capere*, to take.
Deceitful or deceptive?
Deceitful describes someone who intends to mislead. Deceptive describes something that misleads, intentionally or not.
Deceit or deception?
Deceit is the quality or habit. Deception is usually a particular act of misleading.