Deceitfulness

/dɪˈsiːtfəlnəs/ noun

Definition

The quality or state of being deceitful; dishonesty or the tendency to trick others.

Etymology

From deceitful (adjective) plus the noun suffix -ness. Deceitful comes from deceit (from Latin decipere, to catch or ensnare), so deceitfulness is the state of being tricky or untrustworthy.

Kelly Says

This noun captures something psychologists study—the degree to which a person naturally leans toward deception rather than honesty, making it useful for describing personality traits.

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