NYT Dictionary

FEINT

/feɪnt/
NounVerbAdjectiveFAYNTGrade 8

Accepted in official NYT Spelling Bee puzzle years: 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026

Meaning

A movement made to confuse an opponent; a dummy.

Etymology

Origin: Latin

The noun is borrowed from French feinte (“dummy, feint”), from feindre (“to fake, feign”), from Old French feindre, faindre, from Latin fingere, the present active infinitive of fingō (“to alter the truth to deceive, dissemble, feign, pretend; to fashion, form, shape”). The verb is derived from the noun. Cognates * English feign, fiction, figment * Italian finta * Occitan fencha, fenha * Old Spanish finta (modern Spanish finta (“dummy, feint”))

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

jukeactingaffectationalibiapologyappearanceartartificeblindbluff

NYT Puzzle Appearances

Accepted in 10 recorded puzzles:

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