Does "artificio" mean lie?

Question

It lists itself in the dictionary as "device, artifice (?), trick". Is it a synonym for mentira? I guess artifact is artefacto, and artifice (which I guess means lie?) is artificio. Gracias.

Answer 1

I think it is synonymous - as much as artifice is with lie.

See Example below.

Examples in literature:

Promesas y Mentiras

La lógica es simple: o su anuncio es un artificio, o su programa es una falacia. Sea lo que sea, la mentira parece ser la única verdad de todo este asunto.

Reino Mentiras

La constitución del régimen es un artificio. Todo, empezando por el lugar de nacimiento de su líder, es mentira.

Dictionary 1

artificio: artifice; skill; cunning; trick; device; contrivance; falseness

Dictionary 2

artificio sm 1 (=arte) art, craft (=truco) artifice (=astucia) cunning, sly trick 2 (=aparato) device, appliance 3 (=hechura) workmanship, craftsmanship

Nice piece of research, Maria! :-) - Gekkosan, Jun 26, 2010

Answer 2

Hi Jeezzle.

I have never seen it used that way. May some native (more advanced) speakers will tell you otherwise.

Maria-Claire shows how the word can be used to mean "lie". However I concur with you, Marianne, in that it is not a common use. I never think to use it that way. - Gekkosan, Jun 26, 2010

Answer 3

Aquí tienes las definiciones de la palabra:

artificio

1. m. Arte, primor, ingenio o habilidad con que está hecho algo.

2. m. Predominio de la elaboración artística sobre la naturalidad.

3. m. artefacto (? máquina, aparato).

4. m. Disimulo, cautela, doblez.

Answer 4

Maria at work said it was some sort of hole, but she couldn't remember the context of it and said it wasn't used very often. I'm thinking she meant figuratively, like a hole hiding something. Can anyone give more context as to what this word really means and if it is used in natural conversation? Our dictionary says "artifice, device, falsedad". Gracias.