We wouldn't lie to you about the history of "perfidious" - even though the word itself suggests deceitfulness. The modern English meaning of "perfidious" remains faithful to that of its Latin ancestor, perfidus, which means "faithless." English speakers have used "perfidious" to mean "treacherous" since at least 1572. One of the earliest known uses of the term can be found in Act V, scene iii of Shakespeare’s All's Well That Ends Well: the "perfidious slave" Parolles is thought to be an unreliable witness; he’ll say whatever suits his purpose, whether true or not. In contemporary usage, "perfidious" not only implies treacherousness, but an inability to be reliable or honorable.
faithless applies to any failure to keep a promise or pledge or any breach of allegiance or loyalty.
faithless allies
false stresses the fact of failing to be true in any manner ranging from fickleness to cold treachery.
betrayed by false friends
disloyal implies a lack of complete faithfulness to a friend, cause, leader, or country.
disloyal to their country
traitorous implies either actual treason or a serious betrayal of trust.
traitorous acts punishable by death
treacherous implies readiness to betray trust or confidence.
a treacherous adviser
perfidious adds to faithless the implication of an incapacity for fidelity or reliability.
a perfidious double-crosser
Example Sentences
We were betrayed by a perfidious ally. a perfidious campaign worker revealed the senator's strategy to his leading rival for the nomination
Recent Examples on the WebMarsha’s career was derailed by the Blacklist, a perfidious period of American history that has been endlessly chronicled and misunderstood. Alan K. Rode, Variety, 10 Sep. 2022 On the world stage, Ukraine consistently portrays Russia as a perfidious power that cannot be trusted to honor international agreements — and Moscow’s actions often make that characterization compelling. Laura King, Los Angeles Times, 24 July 2022 This latest version, originating in the Kremlin, is just a new, perfidious variant of the old virus called anti-Semitism. Michael Brenner, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 June 2022 But what’s truly unprecedented about this bill is the range of organizations that its supporters hope to cleanse of perfidious foreign influence. Casey Michel, The New Republic, 27 June 2022 The real mystery in this perfidious tale is why the FBI decided to advance the dossier hoax to the world, thus weakening America and its presidency.WSJ, 6 June 2022 Millions of Russians with friends and relatives in Ukraine are heartsick, while others cling to the belief that Russian President Vladimir Putin is doing only what is necessary to protect the motherland against a perfidious West. Katya Korobtsova, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2022 Countries also find ways to live with them, and they can be used as a rhetorical device—unfair sanctions imposed by a perfidious West—to tighten a ruler’s grip on power. Tom Mctague, The Atlantic, 23 Feb. 2022 Thanks to that episode, and to Winston Churchill’s denunciation of the agreement, the names of Munich, Chamberlain, and appeasement have ever since been bywords for perfidious betrayal. Geoffrey Wheatcroft, The New Republic, 21 Feb. 2022 See More