You searched for: “artifice
artifice (s) (noun), artifices (pl)
1. An artful or crafty device; a stratagem: The artifice used by the salesman was intended to trick and to ensnare other people into buying his products.
2. A subtle but base deception; trickery: Ben's story was just an artifice to win sympathy from his colleagues.
3. Cleverness or skill; ingenuity: People need artifices to get others to participate in certain activities or to do something.
4. Etymology: borrowed from Old French meaning "craftsmanship"; from Latin artificium, "trade, craft"; from artifex, "craftsman".

A compound construction from ar(t)s, "art, craft" +-fex, fic-, "maker" from facere, "to make".

A cunning crafty device to achieve one's objective.
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Skillful and conniving trickery and guile.
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Word Entries at Get Words: “artifice
Cleverness, craftiness, or skill; ingenuity; artful or crafty devices used to achieve objectives. (2)