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decoy

[noun dee-koi, dih-koi; verb dih-koi]
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noun

verb (used with object)

to lure by or as if by a decoy: They decoyed the ducks to an area right in front of the blind.

verb (used without object)

to become decoyed: Ducks decoy more easily than most other waterfowl.

RELATED WORDS

blind, plant, front, stoolie, imitation, fake, facade, deception, trickery, temptation, come-on, camouflage, attraction, allurement, inducement, beard, lure, stick, catch, snare

Nearby words

  1. decortication,
  2. decorum,
  3. decoupage,
  4. decouple,
  5. decoupling,
  6. decrease,
  7. decreasing,
  8. decreasing term insurance,
  9. decreasingly,
  10. decree

Origin of decoy

1610–20; variant of coy (now dial.) < Dutch (de) kooi (the) cage, Middle Dutch cōie < Latin cavea cage
Related formsde·coy·er, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for decoy

British Dictionary definitions for decoy

decoy

noun (ˈdiːkɔɪ, dɪˈkɔɪ)

a person or thing used to beguile or lead someone into danger; lure
military something designed to deceive an enemy or divert his attention
a bird or animal, or an image of one, used to lure game into a trap or within shooting range
an enclosed space or large trap, often with a wide funnelled entrance, into which game can be lured for capture
Canadian another word for deke (def. 1)

verb (dɪˈkɔɪ)

to lure or be lured by or as if by means of a decoy
(tr) Canadian another word for deke (def. 2)
Derived Formsdecoyer, noun

Word Origin for decoy

C17: probably from Dutch de kooi, literally: the cage, from Latin cavea cage
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for decoy
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper