/ dɪˈseptɪv; NAmE / adjective
likely to make you believe sth that is not true
SYN misleading :
a deceptive advertisement
Appearances can often be deceptive (= things are not always what they seem to be) .
the deceptive simplicity of her writing style (= it seems simple but is not really)
► de·cep·tive·ly adverb :
a deceptively simple idea
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WORD ORIGIN
early 17th cent.: from Old French deceptif , -ive or late Latin deceptivus , from decept- deceived, from decipere to deceive.