/ dɪˈsepʃn; NAmE / noun
1.
[ U ] the act of deliberately making sb believe sth that is not true (= of deceiving them)
SYN deceit :
a drama full of lies and deception
He was accused of obtaining property by deception.
2.
[ C ] a trick intended to make sb believe sth that is not true
SYN deceit :
The whole episode had been a cruel deception.
••
WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English : from late Latin deceptio(n-) , from decipere deceive.