decoy

[ noun dee-koi, dih-koi; verb dih-koi ]

noun

1. a person who entices or lures another person or thing, as into danger, a trap, or the like.
2. anything used as a lure.

   Synonyms: allurement, inducement, bait, enticement

3. a trained bird or other animal used to entice game into a trap or within gunshot.
4. an artificial bird, as a painted wooden duck, used for the same purpose.
5. a pond into which wild fowl are lured for capture.
6. an object capable of reflecting radar waves, used as a spurious aircraft, missile, chaff, etc., for the deception of radar detectors.

verb (used with object)

1. to lure by or as if by a decoy:

   They decoyed the ducks to an area right in front of the blind.

verb (used without object)

1. to become decoyed:

   Ducks decoy more easily than most other waterfowl.

decoy

noun

1. a person or thing used to beguile or lead someone into danger; lure
2. military something designed to deceive an enemy or divert his attention
3. a bird or animal, or an image of one, used to lure game into a trap or within shooting range
4. an enclosed space or large trap, often with a wide funnelled entrance, into which game can be lured for capture
5. another word for deke

verb

1. to lure or be lured by or as if by means of a decoy
2. tr another word for deke

Derived Forms

• deˈcoyer, noun

Other Words From

• de·coyer noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of decoy¹

1610–20; variant of coy (now dial.) < Dutch ( de ) kooi (the) cage, Middle Dutch cōie < Latin cavea cage

Word History and Origins

Origin of decoy¹

C17: probably from Dutch de kooi, literally: the cage, from Latin cavea cage

Example Sentences

Scientists have observed the creature using a “finger-like projection” from its tail as a decoy.

From Los Angeles Times

Sentencing, the judge said across all charges there had been “in total six decoy/fictitious children ranging from 12 years to under 16 years”.

From BBC

Limited by the left shoulder he partially dislocated just four days earlier, Ohtani was at this point more or less a decoy, which, coincidentally or not, is the name of his world-famous dog.

From Los Angeles Times

Use these decoys when signing up for services or websites you're not entirely sure about.

From Salon

In January, Metropolitan’s Crime Suppression Team deployed two decoy packages, each containing AirTags on the steps of a private residence.

From Los Angeles Times