dupe

UK: /ˈdjuːp/ US: /dup, djup/ ,(do̅o̅p, dyo̅o̅p)

Inflections of 'dupe' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

dupes

v 3rd person singular

duping

v pres p

duped

v past

duped

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

dupe¹ /dup, dyup/   n., v., duped, dup•ing. 
n. [countable]

1. a person who is easily tricked:
   He was the dupe of the racketeers.
2. a person who serves a cause without question:
   The senator accused them of being dupes of a communist conspiracy.

v. 

3. to make a dupe of;
   deceive;
   delude;
   trick: [~ + object]
   The agency duped her.
   [~ + object + into + object]
   They had duped me into the sale.

dup•er, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

dupe¹  (do̅o̅p, dyo̅o̅p), n., v., duped, dup•ing. 
n. 

1. a person who is easily deceived or fooled;
   gull.
2. a person who unquestioningly or unwittingly serves a cause or another person:
   a dupe of the opponents.

v.t. 

3. to make a dupe of;
   deceive;
   delude;
   trick.

• Vulgar Latin *uppa, Latin upupa hoopoe, a bird thought to be especially stupid; compare hoopoe
• French; Middle French duppe for *(tête) d'uppe head of hoopoe, i.e., fool (cf tête de fou)
• 1675–85

dup′a•ble, adj. 
dup′a•bil′i•ty, n. 
dup′er, n. 

dupe²  (do̅o̅p, dyo̅o̅p), n., v., duped, dup•ing, adj. [Informal.]
n. 

1. Informal Terms duplicate.
2. Cinema, Show Business [Motion Pictures.]
   • Cinema a duplicate picture negative used for making additional release prints or for making special effects to be inserted in the release negative.
   • Cinema the procedure for producing such a duplicate.
3. Cinema, Radio and Television, Show Business [Television.] a duplicate videotape obtained by electronic printing of the original videotape.

v.t., v.i. 

4. to duplicate.

adj. 

5. duplicate.

• by shortening 1895–90

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

dupe / djuːp/ noun

1. a person who is easily deceived

verb

1. (transitive) to deceive, esp by trickery; make a dupe or tool of; cheat; fool

Etymology: 17th Century: from French, from Old French duppe, contraction of de huppe of (a) hoopoe (from Latin upupa); from the bird's reputation for extreme stupidity

ˈdupable adjective

ˈduper noun

ˈdupery noun

dupe / djuːp/ noun

a copy or reproduction, esp of a more expensive product

Etymology: C21: shortened from duplicate