decipio

Decipio is a Latin verb meaning to deceive, mislead, or beguile. It is active, transitive, and belongs to the third-conjugation -io group, with the infinitive decipere. In classical Latin, decipio is used to describe deliberate falsehoods or tricks, whether literal (to mislead about a matter) or figurative (to beguile or entice someone). Related noun forms include decipatio and deceptio, both referring to deception or trickery.

Etymology and form: decipio derives from a combination of prefix de- meaning “away, from” and a root related to capere “to take,” producing the sense of taking away one’s understanding or trust. The verb behaves like other -io verbs in its conjugation.

Conjugation: as a regular -io verb, it forms through standard patterns for present, imperfect, and perfect tenses. Present active indicative: decipio, decipis, decipit, decipimus, decipitis, decipiunt. Imperfect: decipiebam, decipiebas, decipiebat, decipiebamus, decipiebatis, decipiebant. Perfect: decepi, decepisti, decepit, decepimus, decepistis, deceperunt. Present passive: decipior, deciperis, decipitur, decipimur, decipimini, decipiuntur.

Usage: decipio takes a direct object in the accusative (e.g., decipere aliquem = to deceive someone) and appears in a range of rhetorical and narrative contexts. It is common in prose to describe political or personal schemes, misdirection, or fraud, and it often conveys a deliberate, intentional action rather than mere misunderstanding.

See also: decipere, deceptio, decipatio.