artifice

About 1.04 uses per million words.

Meaning

1. noun Crafty deception.
2. noun A trick played out as an ingenious, but artful, ruse.
3. noun A strategic maneuver that uses some clever means to avoid detection or capture.
4. noun A tactical move to gain advantage.
5. noun Skill; cleverness.
6. noun Something made with technical skill; a contrivance.
7. verb To construct by means of skill or specialised art

Similar words

ruse wile trick gimmick device firework cunning craft trickery stratagem

Often followed by

of and to in or is that was which

Word family

artifices