artifice
UK: ˈɑːtɪfɪs | US: ˈɑːrtɪfɪs
n. clever or cunning devices or expedients, especially as used to trick or deceive others
n. skillful ingenuity in devising or adapting; artful skill
n. (archaic) a skillful or artful contrivance or stratagem
The word "artifice" traces back to Latin artificium, combining ars (skill) and facere (to make). Originally, it referred to skilled craftsmanship or clever construction. Over time, it acquired a nuanced meaning of cunning or deceptive skill, reflecting the dual nature of human ingenuity—both creative and manipulative. The connective -i- preserves the Latin structure, making the word a literal blend of "skillful making."
The magician’s performance relied more on artifice than actual magic.
Her speech was full of rhetorical artifice to sway the audience.
The treaty was an artifice to conceal the emperor’s true intentions.
Early clocks were marvels of mechanical artifice.
He saw through the artifice of the salesman’s flattery.