Dictionary Home » Dictionary Definitions » decoy

decoy

Listen See in Thesaurus See in a sentence

The definition of a decoy is something used to trick or mislead, such as a fake weapon in war or a fake bird used by hunters or something used to lead someone into a trap.

(noun)

A duck used by a hunter to try to attract other ducks is an example of a decoy.
An attractive undercover police officer who is attempting to trick a man who is attacking woman into coming out and attacking her is an example of a decoy.

See decoy in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

a place into which wild ducks, etc. are lured for capture
an artificial bird or animal, or sometimes a trained live one, used to lure game to a place where it can be shot
a thing or person used to lure or tempt into danger or a trap: a police decoy

Origin: < Du de kooi, the cage < de, def. art. (akin to the) + kooi, cage < WGmc *kawia < L cavea, cage

transitive verb, intransitive verb

to lure or be lured into a trap, danger, etc.

See decoy in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

a. A living or artificial bird or other animal used to entice game into a trap or within shooting range.
b. An enclosed place, such as a pond, into which wildfowl are lured for capture.
A means used to mislead or lead into danger.

transitive verb (dĭ-koiˈ) de·coyed, de·coy·ing, de·coys

To lure or entrap by or as if by a decoy. See Synonyms at lure.

Origin:

Origin: Possibly from Dutch de kooi, the cage

Origin: : de, the (from Middle Dutch; see to- in Indo-European roots)

Origin: + kooi, cage (from Middle Dutch cōie, from Latin cavea)

Related Forms: