Subterfuge
/ˈsʌb.tər.fjuːdʒ/noun
A deceptive stratagem or ruse used to evade, conceal, or escape something.
Did you know?Late Latin 'subterfugium' described evasions so cunning they were used by early alchemists to hide formulas from church inquisitors.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bheugʷ-
“to flee, run away”
Classical Latin
Lat
fugere
“to flee, escape, take flight”
Classical Latin
Lat
subter
“under, below, in secret”
Late Latin
LLat
subterfugere
“to flee secretly, evade covertly”
Late Latin
LLat
subterfugium
“an evasion, secret escape”
Middle French
Fr
subterfuge
“deceit to escape detection”
1590s
Eng
subterfuge
“artful trickery or underhanded evasion”
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