nefarious

[ni-fair-ee-uhs]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR nefarious ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

extremely wicked or villainous; iniquitous: a nefarious plot.

Origin of nefarious

1595–1605; < Latin nefārius wicked, vile, equivalent to nefās offense against divine or moral law (ne- negative prefix + fās law, right) + -ius -ious, with intervocalic s > r

Related formsne·far·i·ous·ly, adverbne·far·i·ous·ness, nounun·ne·far·i·ous, adjectiveun·ne·far·i·ous·ly, adverbun·ne·far·i·ous·ness, noun

Synonyms for nefarious

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR nefarious ON THESAURUS.COM

flagitious, heinous, infamous; vile, atrocious, execrable.

Antonyms for nefarious

good, honest.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for nefariousness

horror, barbarity, depravity, enormity, wickedness, nefariousness, immorality, iniquity, evil, crime, deviltry, wrong, corruption, misdeed, wrongdoing, sin, evilness, villainy, sinfulness, outrageousness

Examples from the Web for nefariousness

Historical Examples of nefariousness

Mary gratified her eager mind by careful studies in this chosen line of nefariousness.
Within the Law
Marvin Dana
There was a nefariousness about the new suggestion that proved very attractive in Blentmouth.
Tristram of Blent
Anthony Hope
The nefariousness of the scheme thus revealed infuriated Barmouth.
The Intrusions of Peggy
Anthony Hope

British Dictionary definitions for nefariousness

nefarious

adjective

evil; wicked; sinful

Derived Formsnefariously, adverbnefariousness, noun

Word Origin for nefarious

C17: from Latin nefārius, from nefās unlawful deed, from nē not + fās divine law

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for nefariousness

nefarious

adj.

c.1600, from Latin nefarius "wicked, abominable, impious," from nefas "crime, wrong, impiety," from ne- "not" (see un-) + fas "right, lawful, divinely spoken," related to fari "to speak" (see fame (n.)). Related: Nefariously.