villain

American  

[vil-uhn] / ˈvɪl ən /

noun

1. a cruelly malicious person who is involved in or devoted to wickedness or crime; scoundrel.

   Synonyms:

   scamp, rogue, rapscallion, rascal, knave

2. a character in a play, novel, or the like, who constitutes an important evil agency in the plot.

3. a person or thing considered to be the cause of something bad.

   Fear is the villain that can sabotage our goals.

4. villein.

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villain British  

/ ˈvɪlən /

noun

1. a wicked or malevolent person

2. (in a novel, play, film, etc) the main evil character and antagonist to the hero

3. humorous a mischievous person; rogue

4. slang:police a criminal

5. history a variant spelling of villein

6. obsolete an uncouth person; boor

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Other Word Forms

• subvillain
  noun
• undervillain
  noun
• villainess
  noun

Etymology

Origin of villain

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English vilein, vilain “churlish rustic, serf,” from Middle French, from Vulgar Latin and Medieval Latin villānus “a farm servant, farmhand”; see origin at villa, -an

Explanation

A villain is a bad person — real or made up. In books, movies, current events, or history, the villain is the character who does mean, evil things on purpose. Today a villain is a wicked person, whether in fact or fiction. In the 1300s, villain described a low-born rustic. It came from the Medieval Latin word villanus, or farmhand. Just why a word would evolve from meaning farmer into evildoer is a little mysterious, although it probably has to do with farmers not being chivalrous, like the knights who were so admired in those days.

Example Sentences

Last year, she was nominated for a prestigious Tony Award for her starring role in Kimberly Belflower's John Proctor Is the Villain.

From BBC • Nov. 18, 2025

I romanticize the Krypto Villain stickers in the quarter vending machines.

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2024

Donanemab is “not a miracle drug,” cautions Sorbonne University neurologist Nicolas Villain, who helped clinically test lecanemab and worries that Eli Lilly’s antibody may carry even higher risks.

From Science Magazine • May 3, 2023

Villain of the Year: Lydia Tár, as played by Cate Blanchett in “TÁR”

From Seattle Times • Jan. 17, 2023

Then, with a hand on the fawn's head, he rebuked Hasteen, saying, "Villain, the jackals shall pursue thee if thou huntest here again!"

From The Taming of the Jungle by Doyle, Dr. C. W.

Related Words

• antihero
• bad guy
• baddie
• baddy
• criminal
• devil
• scoundrel
• sinner