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villainous

[ vil-uh-nuhs ]
/ ˈvɪl ə nəs /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR villainous

adjective

having a cruel, wicked, malicious nature or character.
of, relating to, or befitting a villain: villainous treachery.
outrageously base, wicked, or vile: a villainous attack on his character.
very objectionable or unpleasant; bad; wretched: a villainous storm.

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Origin of villainous

Middle English word dating back to 1300–50; see origin at villain, -ous

OTHER WORDS FROM villainous

Words nearby villainous

villa home, villain, villainage, villainess, villainize, villainous, villainy, Villa-Lobos, villanella, villanelle, Villanovan
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to villainous

shady, nefarious, vile, wicked, atrocious, bad, corrupt, crooked, cruel, culpable, deplorable, depraved, diabolical, dirty, evil, felonious, hateful, ignoble, illegal, illicit

Example sentences from the Web for villainous

British Dictionary definitions for villainous

villainous
/ (ˈvɪlənəs) /

adjective

of, like, or appropriate to a villain
very bad or disagreeablea villainous climate

Derived forms of villainous

villainously, adverbvillainousness, noun
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