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de·cep·tive·ly

(dĭ-sĕptĭv-lē)

adv.

In a deceptive or deceiving manner.

Usage Note: When deceptively is used to modify an adjective, the meaning can be unclear. Does the sentence The pool is deceptively shallow mean that the pool is shallower or deeper than it appears? Is it apparently shallow, but not really, or is it actually shallow but only looks deep? Thus, a deceptively complex person might be either complex or simple, depending on the point of view. The meaning of deceptively is thus very dependent upon the context, and writers should be careful to ensure that the word cannot be misinterpreted or avoid it entirely.

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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