"The diplomat’s perfidy shocked the alliance and strained negotiations."
"Whispers of perfidy surrounded the treaty, as allies questioned each other’s motives."
"The novel centers on a spy whose perfidy nearly destroys a covert operation."
"History remembers acts of perfidy that betrayed entire peoples and futures."
Perfidy comes from the Latin perfidia, meaning deceitfulness or treachery, derived from perfidus meaning unfaithful or treacherous. The root perf- stems from Latin per- (through, completely) combined with fides (faith, trust). In early Latin, perfidia described betrayal of trust in political, military, and social contexts. The term entered English via Medieval Latin and Old French adaptations, retaining its formal, high-register tone. Through centuries, perfidy has carried heavy moral weight, often used in legal, historical, and literary discourse to condemn breaches of oath, frontiers of allegiance, or sacred covenants. The word maintains its weighty connotation today, frequently appearing in diplomacy, international law, and classic literature to denote calculated betrayal rather than mere error. First known usage in English is documented in the 16th century, aligning with Renaissance and early modern political language where the charge of perfidy signified a grave moral failing as much as a strategic disadvantage. In contemporary usage, it remains a precise, formal term that underscores intentional deceit over inadvertent missteps.
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Words that rhyme with "Perfidy"
-ity sounds
-tty sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Say per-FID-ee with the primary stress on the second syllable. In IPA: US / pɜrˈfɪd i /, UK / pəˈfɪd i /. The first syllable is unstressed and reduces to a schwa-like vowel; the second carries the full /ɪ/ then /d/ followed by /i/. Tip: keep the tongue high for /ɪ/ and release the /d/ quickly into a light /i/. Audio you’ll hear often aligns with formal, careful enunciation.
Two frequent errors: (1) Putting stress on the first syllable as per- like ‘PER-i-dy’ instead of per-FI-dy. (2) Slurring the /d/ into the final /i/ so it sounds like /ˈpɜːrfɪdɪ/ rather than /ˈpɜːrfɪdi/. Correct by reinforcing second-syllable energy and clearly releasing the /d/ before the final /i/. Practice with a short pause between /d/ and /i/ to keep the consonant distinct.
US: rhotic /ɜr/ in first syllable, stronger r-coloring; UK: non-rhotic with schwa-like /ə/ in the first, clearer /ɪ/ and gentler /d/; AU: similar to UK with slight vowel broadening in the final /i/ and a touch more vowel length. Across all, the secondary stress on FI remains. The key variation is how prominently the r and the final vowel are pronounced.
Because you combine a stressed mid-vowel on the second syllable with a clear interdental stop transition into a high-front vowel at the end: /p/ + /ɜr/ or /ə/ + /fɪ/ + /di/. The /ɪ/ in the stressed syllable is short but precise, and the final /i/ requires a tense, clipped release to avoid sounding like /ɪ/ only. Practicing the d-to-i transition helps stabilize the ending.
Is the middle syllable /ɪ/ always reduced or can it be pronounced as a full /ɪ/? In careful speech you’ll hear a crisp /ɪ/ in the FI syllable; everyday speech may lean toward a slightly reduced /ɪ/ or /ɪə/ depending on the speaker. Aim for a crisp /ɪ/ to maintain clarity, especially in formal delivery.
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