DUPLICITY


Meaning of DUPLICITY in English

d(y)üˈplisəd.ē, -ətē, -i noun

( -es )

Etymology: Middle English duplicite, from Middle French duplicité, from Late Latin duplicitat-, duplicitas, from Latin duplic-, duplex + -itat-, -itas -ity

1. : doubleness of heart, thought, speech, or action : deception by pretending to entertain one set of feelings and acting under the influence of another : bad faith : double-dealing

the simplicity and openness of their lives brought out for him the duplicity that lay at the bottom of ours — Mary Austin

2. : the quality or state of being double or twofold

these double stars … show a doubling of the spectral lines that must be caused by a duplicity in the source of light — New Internat'l Encyc.

3.

a. : the use of two or more distinct allegations or answers where one is sufficient : pleading double

b. : the union of two incompatible offenses in an indictment

Synonyms: see deceit

Webster's New International English Dictionary.      Новый международный словарь английского языка Webster.