Perfidious

pər-ˈfi-dē-əs

adjective

deceitful and untrustworthy

The word 'perfidious' comes from the Latin word 'perfidia', meaning deceit. It is often used to describe someone who betrays trust or acts in a dishonest way.

When all th’ united states of Greece combin’d, To purge the world of the perfidious kind, Then was your time to fear the Trojan fate: Your quarrels and complaints are now too late.” Thus Juno.

Virgil

The Aeneid

Rather Cape Tormentoso, as called of yore; for long allured by the perfidious silences that before had attended us, we found ourselves launched into this tormented sea, where guilty beings transformed into those fowls and these fish, seemed condemned to swim on everlastingly without any haven in store, or beat that black air without any horizon.

Herman Melville

Moby Dick

Why, it was he who carried me off!” “That may be, Madame!” “And you receive silver from that man?” “Have you not said that that abduction was entirely political?” “Yes; but that abduction had for its object the betrayal of my mistress, to draw from me by torture confessions that might compromise the honor, and perhaps the life, of my august mistress.” “Madame,” replied Bonacieux, “your august mistress is a perfidious Spaniard, and what the cardinal does is well done.” “Monsieur,” said the young woman, “I know you to be cowardly, avaricious, and foolish, but I never till now believed you infamous!” “Madame,” said Bonacieux, who had never seen his wife in a passion, and who recoiled before this conjugal anger, “Madame, what do you say?” “I say you are a miserable creature!” continued Madame Bonacieux, who saw she was regaining some little influence over her husband.

Alexandre Dumas

The Three Musketeers

Woman is perfidious and disingenuous.

Victor Hugo

Les Misérables

Around the brave Tiger Lily were a dozen of her stoutest warriors, and they suddenly saw the perfidious pirates bearing down upon them.

J. M. Barrie

Peter and Wendy

Aren’t they trying to make an Entente cordiale now at Tay Pay’s dinnerparty with perfidious Albion?

James Joyce

Ulysses

Suddenly, as we drove home, I was filled once again with my recent lust for revenge upon my perfidious mother, a lust which had faded in the brilliant glare of my exile, but which now returned and was united with my new-born loathing of Homi Catrack.

Salman Rushdie

Midnight's Children: A Novel

And fierce Atrides spurn'd him as he bled, Tore off his arms, and, loud-exulting, said: "Thus, Trojans, thus, at length be taught to fear; O race perfidious, who delight in war!

Homer

The Iliad

I see thy fall Determined, and thy hapless crew involved In this perfidious fraud, contagion spread Both of thy crime and punishment.

John Milton

Paradise Lost

Traitor, cruel, vindictive, and perfidious, wherein had this poor wretch failed in his fidelity, who with such frankness showed thee the secrets and the joys of his heart?

Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

Don Quixote