deceive

Where does the word "deceive" come from? It comes from Latin decipere, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).

Deceive’s story begins in Latin: decipere meant “to ensnare, to catch by trickery.” To ensnare, to catch, from de- (down) and capere (to take). By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as deceivre. Carried into French for misleading someone through trickery. It reached English by 1300s as deceive. Settled as the English word for making someone believe something untrue. Today, deceive means to deliberately cause someone to believe something that is not true.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient decipere "to ensnare, to catch by trickery", to ensnare, to catch, from de- (down) and capere (to take).
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval deceivre "to mislead through trickery", carried into French for misleading someone through trickery.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1300s deceive "to make someone believe something untrue", settled as the English word for making someone believe something untrue.