feign

C2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /feɪn/ See IPA manual

Homophones

fain /feɪn/

Minimal pairs

Sounds like fen /ɛ/ vs /eɪ/

Freq #33267

Meanings

1

verb
To pretend to have a feeling or condition in order to deceive someone.

The pupil feigned sickness on the day of his exam.
2

verb
To pretend to move one way in order to trick an opponent, as in sport.

The striker feigned to his left, then shot the ball to the right.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to pretend to have a... sham fake simulate

2 verb · to pretend to move one way... feint

More deceive

Word family

Forms feigningfeigns

Derived forms feignablefeignedfeignerfeignfulunfeigned

Simplified etymology

Feign entered Middle English from French faindre and ultimately derives from Latin fingere, “to form” or “contrive.” It shares this origin with faint, feint, fiction, and figment.

Etymology

From Middle English feynen, feinen, borrowed from Old French feindre (“to pretend”), from Latin fingere (“to form, shape, invent”). Compare French feignant (present participle of feindre, literally “feigning”). Also compare feint and fiction.

*dʰeyǵʰ- Proto-Indo-European feynen Middle English feindre Old French fingo Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# feign

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /feɪn/
**Frequency rank:** 33267

## Meanings
1. To pretend to have a feeling or condition in order to deceive someone.
2. To pretend to move one way in order to trick an opponent, as in sport.

## Examples
- The pupil feigned sickness on the day of his exam.
- The striker feigned to his left, then shot the ball to the right.

## Synonyms
- deceive

## Derived Forms
- feignable
- feigned
- feigner
- feignful
- unfeigned

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *dʰeyǵʰ-
- Root: feynen
- Root: feindre
- Root: fingo

## Etymology
From Middle English feynen, feinen, borrowed from Old French feindre (“to pretend”), from Latin fingere (“to form, shape, invent”). Compare French feignant (present participle of feindre, literally “feigning”). Also compare feint and fiction.

## AI Etymology
Feign is from Middle English feynen, feinen, borrowed from Old French feindre (“to pretend”), from Latin fingere (“to form, shape, invent”). Compare French feignant (present participle of feindre, literally “feigning”). Also compare feint and fiction. Important recorded forms include *dʰeyǵʰ- (Proto-Indo-European), feynen (Middle English), feindre (Old French), and fingo (Latin). Current senses include to pretend to have a feeling or condition in order to deceive someone and to pretend to move one way in order to trick an opponent, as in sport. The wider family includes derived forms such as feignable, feigned, feigner, feignful, and unfeigned.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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