prevaricator

US: (pri var′i kā′tər)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

pre•var•i•ca•tor  (pri var′i kā′tər), n. 

1. a person who speaks falsely;
   liar.
2. a person who speaks so as to avoid the precise truth;
   quibbler;
   equivocator.

• Latin praevāricātor; see prevaricate, -tor
• 1535–45

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

pre•var•i•cate /prɪˈværɪˌkeɪt/   v. [no object] , -cat•ed, -cat•ing. 

1. to speak falsely; deliberately misstate;
   lie.

pre•var•i•ca•tion /prɪˌværɪˈkeɪʃən/  n. 

[uncountable] a master of prevarication.

[countable] spreading prevarications about his opponent.

pre•var•i•ca•tor, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

pre•var•i•cate  (pri var′i kāt′), v.i., -cat•ed, -cat•ing. 

1. to speak falsely or misleadingly; deliberately misstate or create an incorrect impression;
   lie.

• Latin praevāricātus, past participle of praevāricārī to straddle something, (of an advocate) collude with an opponent's advocate, equivalent. to prae- pre- + vāricāre to straddle, derivative of vārus bent outwards, bow-legged
• 1575–85

pre•var′i•ca′tion, n. 
pre•var′i•ca′tive, pre•var•i•ca•to•ry  (pri var′i kə tôr′ē, -tōr′ē), adj.  Synonyms

evade, shift.