# deceptive

Pronunciation: say "di-SEP-tiv" /dɪˈsɛp.tɪv/

## Adjective

1. Likely to make someone believe something that is not true, or intended to do so.
   - Simple: Likely to fool people, or trying on purpose to make them believe something false.
   - _The company agreed to pay a settlement over its deceptive billing practices._
   - _The trail's gentle start is deceptive: the last mile climbs steeply to the ridge._

## Origin

From Middle French déceptif, which came from Latin dēceptīvus, derived from dēcipiō ("I deceive").

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/deceptive (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).