decoy

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   something used to lure or mislead, often a fake bird

   Hunters set a wooden decoy among the reeds.

Simplified etymology

Decoy probably comes from Dutch de kooi, “the decoy,” whose second element goes back to Latin cavea, “cave.” In the early 17th century, a decoy was a pond with net-covered channels into which ducks and other wildfowl were enticed for capture. By the mid-17th century, decoy duck denoted a tame duck trained for this purpose or an imitation duck placed on the water.

Probably from Dutch de kooi ('the cage'), from Middle Dutch kouw, from Latin cavea ('cage, hollow'). Originally a pond with cages or netting used to capture wildfowl.

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