Artifice is a clever trick or a cunning strategy. It is used as a noun. It is pretty much like the word artful and has a similar meaning too but is used in the negative sense though. In the movie ‘Catch me if you can’ Leonardo diCaprio’s character uses his artifice to get through difficult situations and fools people.
It is derived from the Latin word artificium which means craftsmanship. It originated around 1530.
Pronunciation: ahr-tuh-fis
Meanings of Artifice
1. A deceptive maneuver taken up especially to avoid capture
2. Cleverness, ingenuity
3. False or deceptive behavior
4. A skillful expedient
Master’s Tip to Learn Artifice
As said above, it is pretty much like the word artful but with a more negative meaning.
Another way to learn Artifice can be to associate it with the word artificial which means something that is fake or deceptive, quite similar to artifice.
Sentence Examples for Artifice:
1. People without any ego or artifice are generally worth holdin on to.
2. A good leader is one without any artifice but a better leader is one who knows when to use it.
3. He has been using his artifice to all this while to gain our sympathies.
