- Today's Word
Duplicity
doo-PLIS-uh-tee (or dyoo-PLIS-uh-tee)
Definition
- (Noun) Deceptiveness in speech or conduct; acting in two different ways to different people.
Example
His duplicity became clear when we realized he had told each side a different version of the story.
Fun Fact
“Duplicity” comes from the Latin duplex, meaning “double”—a fitting root for someone who presents two faces to the world. The word is often associated with spies, politicians, and backstabbers in history and literature, proving that trust is a valuable (and fragile) commodity.
(adjective) focused on practical results and real-world consequences rather than ideals, theories, or abstract principles.
Instead of arguing over perfect solutions, she took a pragmatic approach and fixed what could be done immediately.
Pragmatic traces back to the Greek word pragmatikos, meaning “relating to deeds or actions,” from pragma (“thing done” or “action”). It entered English in the late 16th century, originally referring to people skilled in managing practical affairs, before evolving into its modern meaning of valuing usefulness and outcomes over theory.