subterfuge

WOTD - 29 May 2006    

English

Etymology

Late 16th century. Directly or via French from late Latin subterfugium , from Latin subterfugio (“I flee secretly”), from subter (“under”) and fugio (“I flee”).

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈsəbtɹ̩ˌfjuːdʒ/

• Audio (US)

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Noun

subterfuge (countable and uncountable; plural subterfuges)

1. (countable) An indirect or deceptive device or stratagem; a blind. Refers especially to war and politics.

   Japanese subterfuge in World War II caused the Americans to lose the battle.

2. (uncountable) Deception; misrepresentation of the true nature of an activity.

Translations

Translations

Finnish: temppu (fi), veruke (fi) French: subterfuge m. (1) German: Täuschung (de), List (de), Trick (de) Greek: υπεκφυγή (el) (ypekfygí) f.

Italian: sotterfugio (it) m. (1,2) Panjabi: ਛਲ, ਬਹਾਨਾ; ਢੁੱਚਰਬਾਜੀ [toka/dhoka] Portuguese: subterfúgio (pt) m. Spanish: evasiva (es) f., demora (es) f.