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Guileful: meaning, definitions and examples

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guileful

 

[ ˈɡaɪlfəl ]

Adjective
Context #1 | Adjective

describing character

Guileful refers to someone who is cunning or deceitful, using cleverness to achieve their goals, often at the expense of others. It implies a sense of craftiness and the ability to outsmart others through trickery or manipulation. This word often carries a negative connotation, suggesting that the individual may not be trustworthy. In literature, guileful characters are often portrayed as adversaries or villains, adept at using their wits to deceive rather than to foster honest interactions.

Synonyms

crafty, cunning, deceitful, sly, tricky.

Examples of usage

  • The guileful merchant tricked the villagers into buying fake goods.
  • His guileful nature made it difficult to tell when he was being sincere.
  • She used her guileful charm to navigate the complex social dynamics.
  • The guileful fox outsmarted the hound.

Translations

Translations of the word "guileful" in other languages:

🇵🇹 astuto

🇮🇳 धूर्त

🇩🇪 listig

🇮🇩 licik

🇺🇦 хитрий

🇵🇱 podstępny

🇯🇵 狡猾な

🇫🇷 rusé

🇪🇸 astuto

🇹🇷 kurnaz

🇰🇷 교활한

🇸🇦 ماكر

🇨🇿 mazaný

🇸🇰 prefíkaný

🇨🇳 狡诈的

🇸🇮 prebrisan

🇮🇸 snyrtur

🇰🇿 қулық

🇬🇪 მალთამალ

🇦🇿 hiyləgər

🇲🇽 astuto

Etymology

The word 'guileful' originates from the Old French term 'guile', which means 'deceit' or 'trickery'. This term was derived from the Latin word 'guile' from 'guile' meaning 'to cheat' or 'to deceive'. It entered the English language in the early 15th century, reflecting the societal perceptions of deceit and cleverness inherent in human interactions. The suffix '-ful' means 'full of' or 'characterized by', hence forming an adjective that depicts someone as full of guile. Over the centuries, the usage of 'guileful' has remained relatively stable, often reflecting the same themes of cunning deceit and trickery, particularly in literary contexts where characters are portrayed with complex and often morally ambiguous motivations.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #38,251, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.