/di sep"sheuhn/ , n.
1. the act of deceiving; the state of being deceived.
2. something that deceives or is intended to deceive; fraud; artifice.
[ 1400-50; late ME decepcioun deception- (s. of deceptio ), equiv. to L decept ( us ) (ptp. of decipere; see DECEIVE) + -ion- -ION ]
Syn. 2. trick, stratagem, ruse, wile, hoax, imposture.