perfidy
|per-fi-dy|
🇺🇸
/ˈpɝfɪdi/
🇬🇧
/ˈpɜːfɪdi/
betrayal of trust
Etymology
'perfidy' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'perfidia', where 'per-' meant 'thoroughly/through' and 'fides' meant 'faith'.
'perfidy' changed from medieval/Old French and Anglo-Norman forms such as 'perfidie'/'perfide' and entered Middle English as 'perfidy', eventually becoming the modern English word 'perfidy'.
Initially, it meant 'breach of faith' or 'faithlessness'; over time it has retained that core sense but is often used more broadly for deceitfulness or treacherous conduct.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
breach of trust; deceptive or treacherous behavior toward someone who trusts you.
The diplomat's perfidy undermined the negotiations and caused a loss of trust between the countries.
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Noun 2
an act of deliberate betrayal or treacherous conduct (often used of a specific action rather than a general trait).
Selling company secrets to a competitor was an unforgivable perfidy.
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Last updated: 2025/12/04 04:00