# decoy

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈdiːkɔɪ/ · frequency rank #27,424

## Definitions
1. A person or object meant to lure somebody into danger.
2. A real or fake animal used by hunters to lure game.
3. Deceptive military device used to draw enemy attention or fire away from a more important target.
4. An assembly of hooped or netted corridors into which wild ducks may be enticed (originally by tame ducks) and trapped.

## Etymology
From Dutch de + kooi, literally "the cage". Possibly related to verb coy (which itself may have been influenced by decoy).

## Easily confused with
- **dey** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/decoy-vs-dey)
- **deo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/decoy-vs-deo)
- **deny** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/decoy-vs-deny)
- **demo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/decoy-vs-demo)
- **defy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/decoy-vs-defy)
- **devo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/decoy-vs-devo)
- **dewy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/decoy-vs-dewy)
- **delay** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/decoy-vs-delay)
- **derby** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/decoy-vs-derby)
- **demon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/decoy-vs-demon)
- **depot** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/decoy-vs-depot)
- **Devon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/decoy-vs-devon)
- **deity** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/decoy-vs-deity)
- **Dewey** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/decoy-vs-dewey)
- **demos** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/decoy-vs-demos)
- **detox** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/decoy-vs-detox)
- **Derry** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/decoy-vs-derry)
- **duchy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/decoy-vs-duchy)
- **Devos** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/decoy-vs-devos)
- **Dicky** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/decoy-vs-dicky)

## Common misspellings (7)
`dceoy`, `ddecoy`, `deccoy`, `decoyy`, `decyo`, `deocy`, `edcoy`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/decoy