Perfidy
hardNegative tonePER-fih-dee
noun
Definition
Deliberate breach of faith or trust; treachery
Memory hook
PER-FIDY: breaking FAITH — treachery and deliberate betrayal of trust.
Word roots
Learning roots unlocks whole word families. Study common GRE root words.
Examples
“The general's perfidy led to the army's defeat.”
“History remembers his perfidy in abandoning his allies.”
Test yourself
Fill in the blank with the right word:
“The general's ______ led to the army's defeat.”
Show answer
perfidy
Synonyms
Antonyms
Categories
GRE Tip
Perfidy is a hard-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "treachery" or "betrayal" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "loyalty".
Related GRE Words
chicanery
The use of trickery to achieve a political, financial, or legal purpose
duplicity
Deceitfulness; double-dealing
mendacity
Untruthfulness; the tendency to lie
guile
Sly or cunning intelligence; craftiness in deceiving others
aberrant
Deviating from what is normal or expected
aberration
A departure from what is normal, usual, or expected
Master perfidy and 1,000+ GRE words
Learn through stories, practice with real GRE questions, and never forget with spaced repetition.