artifice
AHR-tih-fiss
/ˈɑː.tɪ.fɪs/
Clever or cunning devices or expedients, especially as used to trick or deceive others.
Focuses on constructed tricks, clever staged displays, or artificial illusions.
The story behind the word. In Latin, artificium meant high craftsmanship—literally 'making art'. Originally in English, 'artifice' praised artistic skill. However, as people grew suspicious of fake appearances versus natural truth, 'artifice' took on its modern shade of crafty staged trickery.
Word relationships
- ruse: A ruse is a single trick, whereas artifice often implies a sophisticated system or skill of trickery.
- guile: Guile is the internal trait of cunning, whereas artifice is the external trick or staged creation.
- artlessness: Artlessness means natural simplicity and lack of deceit.
- sincerity: Sincerity means honesty and freedom from pretense.
Commonly confused with
- artifact: An artifact is a physical historical object, while artifice is a cunning trick or staged deception.
Word family
- artificial (adjective): Made by human skill; not natural or genuine.
- artful (adjective): Clever or skillful, especially in a crafty or sly way.
Collocations
- political artifice
- deceptive artifice
- without artifice
Idioms & expressions
- smoke and mirrors
- staged illusion
Example sentences
- "Behind the candidate's warm public persona lay calculated political artifice designed to disarm rivals." Political tactics
Memory hook
ART + SURFACE: crafting an ARTificial surface to fool people. Crafty staged trickery.
When not to use
Do not use for crude or unskilful lying.
Fun facts
- 'Artificial' and 'artifice' come from the exact same Latin root; both originally praised human skill.
Related words
Also appears in
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