cozener means an imposter, a swindler. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 89 out of 100.
cozener is pronounced /ˈkʌzənə/.
Why “cozener” is a great word
A person who cheats or defrauds others through trickery or deceit. The term is formed from the verb 'cozen' (to cheat, defraud) and the agent-noun suffix -er; the verb likely derives from the obsolete Italian 'cozzone' (horse-trader, broker) or Old North French 'coçonner' (to resell). Unlike a 'swindler,' whose fraud is often blunt and transactional, or a 'charlatan,' who peddles false expertise, the cozener is an artisan of the intimate con, a practitioner of guileful, personal persuasion. He is the trusted friend with the can't-miss investment, the charming stranger whose complicated story makes you hand over your wallet, the relative whose condolences pivot seamlessly to a proposal for managing your inheritance—the gentle, corrosive proof that the most effective lies are those we are eager to believe.
Etymology
From cozen (“cheat, defraud”) + -er.
noun
- An imposter, a swindler.“The usurer hangs the cozener.”