English Explanatory Dictionary

perfidy

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A state or act of violating faith or allegiance; violation of a promise or vow, or of trust.
  2. An illegitimate act of deception, such as using symbols like the Red Cross or white flag in a false claim of surrender to gain proximity to an enemy for purposes of attack.
  3. A state or act of deceit.

Pronunciation

/ˈpɜː.fɪ.di/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-perfidy.wav /ˈpɝ.fɪ.di/

Word forms

perfidy perfidies

Etymology

From Middle French perfidie, from Latin perfidia from perfidus (“faithless, treacherous, false”), from fides (“faith”); related to, for example, English fidelity.

Synonyms

betrayal treachery perfidiousness breach of promise breach of trust double-dealing Judas kiss perfidy prodition Punic faith stab in the back swike tergiversation traitory treacherousness treason underhandedness trickery deceit deceitfulness deceptiveness dissimulation duplicity fraudulence fraudulency deception dupery fiddle fetch hocus-pocus jugglery legerdemain list mislead prestidigitation rinky-dink ruse sleight of hand subterfuge swack

Related words

perfidious perfidiously

Translations

Bulgarian: измяна Bulgarian: предателство Finnish: sotapetos Hungarian: álnokság Hungarian: perfídia Russian: вероло́мство Swedish: förrädiskt förfarande Swedish: förräderi Ukrainian: віроломство
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