deceit
UK[dɪˈsiːt]US[dɪˈsiːt]
n
the act or practice of deceiving someone by concealing or misrepresenting the truth
n
a dishonest trick or statement used to deceive someone
Etymology
the word 'deceit' entered english in the 13th century from the old french 'deceite', a noun form of 'deceivre' meaning 'to deceive'. this old french term itself evolved from the latin verb 'decipere', which meant 'to ensnare, take in, cheat'. the latin 'decipere' is a compound of the prefix 'de-' (meaning 'from' or 'away') and the verb 'capere' (meaning 'to take, seize'). the literal sense, therefore, was 'to take away' or 'to catch', which evolved into the figurative sense of taking someone in by trickery. the modern english meaning retains this core idea of using trickery to mislead or cheat someone, focusing on the act or the dishonest scheme itself.
Analysis
the word is a simplex form derived from a single root; it is not productively composed of separable morphemes in modern english.
Examples
she saw through his deceit immediately.
the company was accused of fraud and deceit.
his career was built on a web of lies and deceit.