Word of the Day for Monday November 21, 2005 subterfuge \SUB-tur-fyooj\, noun: A deceptive device or stratagem. In the end, however, all the stealth and subterfuge were for naught, as the young publicity agent couldn't keep the secret. --Larry Tye, [1]The Father of Spin She has also complained . . . that the reporter used subterfuge to interview her, pretending to be the mother of an inmate. --Roy Greenslade, "Filthy rags," [2]The Guardian, January 11, 2001 He is adept at subterfuge, at gaining entry to factories by masquerading as a laborer, a wholesaler, an exporter. --Jonathan Silvers, "Child Labor in Pakistan," [3]The Atlantic, February 1996 _________________________________________________________ Subterfuge comes from Late Latin subterfugium, "a secret flight," from Latin subterfugere, "to flee in secret, to evade," from subter, "underneath, underhand, in secret" + fugere, "to flee." It is related to fugitive, one who flees. References 1. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/asin/0517704358/ref=nosim/lexico 2. http://www.guardian.co.uk/guardian/ 3. http://www.theatlantic.com/ Dictionary.com Entry and Pronunciation http://dictionary.reference.com/search?r=9&q=subterfuge