Dictionary
Thesaurus
Reference
Translate
Web
Related Searches
on Ask.com
Synonyms
Nearby Entries
deceptive - 4 dictionary results

de⋅cep⋅tive

  [di-sep-tiv]
Use deceptive in a Sentence
–adjective
1. apt or tending to deceive: The enemy's peaceful overtures may be deceptive.
2. perceptually misleading: It looks like a curved line, but it's deceptive.
Origin:
1605–15; < ML dēceptīvus, equiv. to L dēcept(us) (see deception ) + -īvus -ive

Related forms:
de⋅cep⋅tive⋅ly, adverb
de⋅cep⋅tive⋅ness, noun

Synonyms:
1. delusive, fallacious, specious.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To deceptive
de·cep·tive   (dĭ-sěp'tĭv)   
adj.  Deceptive or tending to deceive.
de·cep'tive·ness n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source

Deceptive

De*cep"tive\, a. [Cf. F. d['e]ceptif. See Deceive.] Tending to deceive; having power to mislead, or impress with false opinions; as, a deceptive countenance or appearance.

Language altogether deceptive, and hiding the deeper reality from our eyes. --Trench.

Deceptive cadence (Mus.), a cadence on the subdominant, or in some foreign key, postponing the final close.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Cite This Source
Language Translation for : deceptive
Spanish: engañoso,
German: täuschend,
Japanese: あざむくような
More Translations »

Main Entry: de·cep·tive
Pronunciation: di-'sep-tiv
Function: adjective
: tending or having capacity to deceive <deceptive trade practices> —compare FRAUDULENT, MISLEADING
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
Cite This Source
Search another word or see deceptive on Thesaurus | Reference