Someone who cheats or swindles others in card games or other situations, often through trickery.
From 'rook,' which comes from the name of the bird known for its stealing and tricky behavior. The term emerged in the 1600s to describe con artists and cheaters.
Rooks are famously intelligent birds that steal shiny objects, so criminals who trick people got named after them—nature's con artists inspired our word for human con artists!
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