Bluffer

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈblʌfɚ/

Definitions

1. An individual who deceives others by pretending to possess abilities or knowledge that they actually lack
2. Someone who gives the false impression of expertise or skill in order to mislead or gain advantage
3. A person who feigns confidence or competence, often to trick or bluff others into believing they are more capable than they really are

Etymology: "Bluffer" is a straightforward formation: the noun "bluff" with the agent suffix "-er" attached, giving a literal sense of "one who bluffs." The suffix itself has a long pedigree. It descends through Old French "-ier" from the Latin "-arius," which marked a person connected with a trade or activity, and it reached English through Old English "-ere" and Middle English "-ere" before settling into the form it has today. The more interesting story lies in the base word. "Bluff" carries a strong sense of a deceptive display, and the agent noun inherits that sense directly: a bluffer is someone who makes a show of a quality, usually skill, that they lack. The suffix did the grammatical work, turning a verb-like action into a person who performs it, so the word describes a character as much as a behaviour.

Synonyms: faker, pretender, deceiver