Feint
/feɪnt/noun
A deceptive movement or action meant to mislead an opponent.
Did you know?Feint entered English through French from a verb meaning “to pretend,” and its history is all about deliberate illusion rather than physical force.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
fingere
“to shape, mold, devise, or invent”
Late Latin
Latin
fingere > *fingere* (developing into forms meaning to pretend)
“to fashion mentally; to contrive or pretend”
Old French
Old French
feint
“feigned, pretended; deceptive”
Middle English
English
feint
“a false show or deceptive act”
Modern English
English
feint
“a deceptive movement or action meant to mislead an opponent”