Dupery

/ˈduːpərɪ/ noun

Definition

The practice of tricking or deceiving people; fraud or deception.

Etymology

From French duper (to trick) plus the suffix -y (-ery). The French verb duper entered English in the 17th century, possibly from Dutch or German roots meaning to trick.

Kelly Says

Dupery was such a common problem in 17th-century Europe that the French language actually needed a specific word for the practice of trickery—showing how crime and language develop together.

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