feign
UK[feɪn]US[feɪn]
v
to pretend to have a particular feeling or to be ill, asleep, etc.
v
to invent an excuse, story, etc.
Etymology
the verb 'feign' entered english in the late 13th century from the old french 'feindre', meaning "to pretend, be weak, or shirk." the old french term derived from the latin verb 'fingere', which carried the sense "to touch, form, or shape," and by extension, "to devise, fabricate, or pretend." this latin root is also the source of english words like 'fiction' and 'figure'. the semantic evolution from the physical act of shaping or molding to the abstract act of inventing or simulating a false appearance is a classic example of metaphorical extension. the modern english meaning retains this core idea of artificial creation, specifically the fabrication of a state or emotion.
Analysis
the word is a simplex form; its spelling and sound have been shaped by its journey through old french and latin, making its internal morphemes opaque in modern english.
Examples
she didn't want to go to the party, so she feigned a headache.
his feigned enthusiasm failed to convince his disappointed boss.
the spy had to feign ignorance to avoid raising suspicion.