decoy
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decoy
- /ˈdiːkɔɪ/ UK
Rhymes with -iːkɔɪ
Where it comes from
From Dutch de + kooi, literally "the cage". Possibly related to verb coy (which itself may have been influenced by decoy).
noun decoys
- A person or object meant to lure somebody into danger.
- A real or fake animal used by hunters to lure game.
- Deceptive military device used to draw enemy attention or fire away from a more important target. 2002, Robotech: Battlecry – Guide and Walkthrough Just every 5 seconds or so shoot out a decoy near the Cats Eye and the enemies will aim for that instead of the Cats Eye.
- An assembly of hooped or netted corridors into which wild ducks may be enticed (originally by tame ducks) and trapped.
Similar: body double, decoy, red herring
verb decoys · decoying · decoyed
- To lead into danger by artifice; to lure into a net or snare; to entrap. to decoy troops into an ambush; to decoy ducks into a net
- To act as, or use, a decoy. As they were being decoyed, the rescue team carried the hostage and quietly slipped away.
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: lure, bait, diversion, lie, stunt, trick, deception, sham, distraction, snare, fake, illusion, attempted, trap, delusion, stuntman
noun
Similar: body double, decoy, red herring
Translations
Every language
noun person or object meant to lure something to danger
| Español | señuelo, carnada, añagaza |
|---|---|
| 日本語 | 囮 otori, 好餌 kōji |
| 中文 | 引诱物 yǐnyòuwù, 引誘人 /引诱人 yǐnyòurén, 誘餌 /诱饵 yòu'ěr |
| हिन्दी | चारा cārā, प्रलोभन pralobhan |
| Português | chamariz |
| Français | leurre, appât |
| Deutsch | Lockvogel, Köder |
| Italiano | esca, richiamo |
| Ελληνικά | δόλωμα dóloma, κράχτης kráchtis |
| Română | momeală |
| Русский | прима́нка primánka, подсадна́я у́тка podsadnája útka, нажи́вка nažívka |
noun animal used by hunters to lure game
| Español | señuelo, carnada, cimbel, añagaza |
|---|---|
| 中文 | 囮子 ézi |
| हिन्दी | चारा cārā, प्रलोभन pralobhan |
| Português | chamariz |
| Français | leurre |
| Deutsch | Lockvogel |
| Italiano | zimbello, stampo |
| Ελληνικά | δόλωμα dóloma |
| Русский | мано́к manók, подсадна́я у́тка podsadnája útka |
noun deceptive military device
| Español | señuelo, enza |
|---|---|
| Français | leurre |
| Italiano | diversivo, falso bersaglio |
verb to act as, or use, a decoy
| Français | appâter, leurrer, piéger |
|---|---|
| Deutsch | ködern, locken |
| Ελληνικά | δελεάζω deleázo |
| Русский | прима́нивать primánivatʹ, примани́ть primanítʹ |
Talk about this word "decoy." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/decoy. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. decoy. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/decoy "decoy." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/decoy.Cite this
@misc{decoy_2026,
title = {decoy},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/decoy},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
