deceptive

B2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /dɪˈsɛp.tɪv/ See IPA manual

Freq #22503

Meanings

1

adj
Likely to make you believe something that is not true; misleading.

The company was fined for its deceptive advertising practices.
2

adj
Giving an appearance that is different from the reality.

There was a deceptive calm in the eye of the storm.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · likely to make you believe... misleading deceitful fraudulent

2 adj · giving an appearance that... misleading

Opposites

honestnonfraudulentundeceitfulundeceptiveunmisleading

Word family

Forms deceptively

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

deliberately deceptive
intentionally designed to give someone a false impression

Adverb + adjective

Proverbs (2)

See all

Etymology

From Middle French déceptif, from Latin dēceptīvus, from dēcipiō (“to deceive”).

*kap- Proto-Indo-European déceptif Middle French dēceptīvus Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# deceptive

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /dɪˈsɛp.tɪv/
**Frequency rank:** 22503

## Meanings
1. Likely to make you believe something that is not true; misleading.
2. Giving an appearance that is different from the reality.

## Examples
- The company was fined for its deceptive advertising practices.
- There was a deceptive calm in the eye of the storm.

## Antonyms
- honest
- nonfraudulent
- undeceitful
- undeceptive
- unmisleading

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *kap-
- Root: déceptif
- Root: dēceptīvus

## Etymology
From Middle French déceptif, from Latin dēceptīvus, from dēcipiō (“to deceive”).

## AI Etymology
deceptive comes from Middle French déceptif, from Latin dēceptīvus, from dēcipiō (“to deceive”). The historical chain includes Proto-Indo-European *kap-, Middle French déceptif, Latin dēceptīvus. Current senses include Likely to make you believe something that is not true; misleading and Giving an appearance that is different from the reality.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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