Fraudsters

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. People that utilize deception and trickery to obtain money or advantages are commonly seen as wrongdoers in various schemes
2. Those who systematically deceive others to gain financial rewards or to exploit vulnerabilities are often referred to as con artists
3. Individuals who engage in dishonest practices to unlawfully gain money or benefits

Etymology: The plural "fraudsters" is simply the plural of "fraudster," so the story really belongs to its two parts. "Fraud" arrived in English from Old French and before that from Latin "fraus," meaning deceit or injury, and it was in use in Middle English. The ending "-ster" is a much older piece of the language: it descends from an Old English suffix "-estre," which was used to form nouns for women or for agents, and it traces back to a Proto-West Germanic form. Attached to "fraud," the suffix produced a name for someone who commits deception as a habit or trade. English already had a number of similar words built this way, such as "trickster" and "gangster," so "fraudster" follows a familiar pattern. Its formation is straightforward: an older English suffix joined to a word borrowed from French, producing a label for the person behind the deceit.

Synonyms: scammers, con artists, cheats

Antonyms: honest people