treacherous

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: B2 — Upper-Intermediate

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. adjective dangerously unstable and unpredictable
  2. adjective tending to betray; especially having a treacherous character as attributed to the Carthaginians by the Romans

Etymology

From Old French trecheros, tricheros (“deceitful”), equivalent to treacher + -ous. See treacher.

In classic literature

Synonyms

unreliable

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