thievish

[ thee-vish ]

adjective

1. given to thieving.
2. of, relating to, or characteristic of a thief; stealthy:

   a furtive, thievish look.

Other Words From

• thievish·ly adverb
• thievish·ness noun
• un·thievish adjective
• un·thievish·ly adverb
• un·thievish·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of thievish¹

1400–50; late Middle English thevisch; thief, -ish ¹

Example Sentences

He accordingly took him into his service, but soon found him to be an idle and thievish vagabond.

From Project Gutenberg

Immediately the band of the count, thievish and ferocious, would sally from the manor.

From Project Gutenberg

Flashy carriages of thievish men who had enriched themselves under the new conditions, rolled frequently by.

From Project Gutenberg

Neckweed (a halter) is good for thievish apprentices, for swashbucklers past grace, and all scamps.

From Project Gutenberg

Worse still, it fell on many wounded, and to such even the thrust of the thievish camp-follower's tolle-knife was merciful.

From Project Gutenberg

More About Thievish

What does thievish mean?

Thievish is used to describe a person who is thought to be prone to being a thief, especially as part of a pattern of behavior.

The verb thieve means to steal or commit theft. The word thieving can be used to mean the same thing as thievish. The related noun thievery refers to the practice of stealing.

The word thievish can be applied to those who are thought to steal all the time or to live a criminal lifestyle. The word thieving is more commonly used this way, and is often paired with other negative adjectives to describe someone as a dishonest and corrupt criminal, as in They are nothing but a bunch of lying, scheming, thieving criminals!

Thievish can also be used to describe someone as behaving in a way that’s like a thief in terms of being secretive or stealthy.

Example: He and his thievish accomplishes will soon be caught red-handed during one of their heists.

Where does thievish come from?

The first records of the word thievish come from the 1400s. It’s basically a combination of the word thief and the suffix -ish, meaning “having the characteristics of.”

Thievish and related words like thieve and thievery can sometimes sound a bit old-timey, like they’re out of a classic adventure novel. But thievish can still be used in a modern context, and calling someone thievish is a serious accusation.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to thievish?

• thievishly (adverb)
• thievishness (noun)
• thieve (verb)

What are some synonyms for thievish?

• thieving
• stealing
• thieflike

What are some words that share a root or word element with thievish? 

 

• thievery
• thief
• theft

What are some words that often get used in discussing thievish?

• lying
• scheming
• corrupt
• criminal
• greedy

How is thievish used in real life?

Thievish is less commonly used than thieving, which can mean the same thing. Both are typically used to describe a person considered a corrupt criminal.

“Hold! You crafty ones, strangers to work, and pilferers of other men’s brains. Think not rashly to lay your thievish hands upon my works. Beware! […& bear in mind that if you print or sell imitations], goods will be confiscated, and your bodies placed in mortal danger.” – Dürer pic.twitter.com/g9zenBlVae

— Bryan Rieger (@bryanrieger) September 29, 2018

Fit only for a den of thievish knaves … https://t.co/vCA9k1otGz

— Cheryldee Huddleston (@CheryldeeHuddle) December 3, 2020

 

Try using thievish!

Which of the following people could be described as thievish?

A. con artist
B. pickpocket
C. bank robber
D. all of the above