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Iago

American  
[ee-ah-goh] / iˈɑ goʊ /

noun

  1. the villain in Shakespeare's Othello.


Iago Cultural  
  1. The treacherous villain in the play Othello, by William Shakespeare. As adviser to Othello, a general of Venice, Iago lies to his master and eventually drives him to murder his wife.


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But when she realizes Iago has slandered Desdemona she turns into an enraged lioness, roundly exposing and condemning him—and Othello—with righteous fury.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 1, 2026

The production, helmed by the company’s artistic director, Eric Tucker, who also plays that malevolent master manipulator, Iago, matches the minimal cast with a scrappy, simple production.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 3, 2026

But Cyngor Gwynedd councillor Craig ab Iago said Article 4 being quashed was "disappointing".

From BBC • Mar. 23, 2026

After seeing her Richard, I’m already wondering about her Hamlet and Iago.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 26, 2026

Yes, even Iago was a little lamb too.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker

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