villainous

[ vil-uh-nuh s ]

/ ˈvɪl ə nəs /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR villainous ON THESAURUS.COM

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.

Nearby words

villain, villain of the piece, the, villainage, villainess, villainize, villainous, villainously, villainy, villanella, villanelle, villanova

Origin of villainous

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

Related forms

vil·lain·ous·ly, adverbvil·lain·ous·ness, nounnon·vil·lain·ous, adjectivenon·vil·lain·ous·ly, adverb

non·vil·lain·ous·ness, nounun·vil·lain·ous, adjectiveun·vil·lain·ous·ly, adverb

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

Examples from the Web for villainous

She is against the patriarchy, especially when personified in villainous ogres like the Duke of Deception.
Wonder Woman’s Creation Story Is Wilder Than You Could Ever Imagine|Tom Arnold-Forster|November 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
So the man who plays the villainous Frank Underwood does have a lighter side after all.
Viral Video of the Day: Kevin Spacey Goes Bollywood|The Daily Beast Video|April 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Surely there will be villainous pirates, distracting mermaids, tides change in the new open water chapter of my journey.
Lindsay Mills, Edward Snowden’s Girlfriend, Writes ‘All I Feel Is Alone’|Caroline Linton|June 11, 2013|DAILY BEAST
You have an interest in comedy, yet keep getting pegged as these villainous characters.
Michael Emerson: The Lost Interview|Kara Cutruzzula|February 10, 2009|DAILY BEAST

Therefore I thought nothing of undertaking a sixty miles' drive in broiling heat and along a villainous road.
South African Memories|Lady Sarah Wilson
The man with the face of a butler lighted the most villainous pipe I ever beheld.
Hearts and Masks|Harold MacGrath
On the other hand one might very well have a villainous one.
Under the Chinese Dragon|F. S. Brereton
He was a short, heavily-built fellow, clad in rags, and had as villainous a face as any they had ever seen.
The Bradys Beyond Their Depth|Anonymous
As to the bulkhead, he had advised his commander that the safest thing was to leave it alone, it was so villainous to look at.
Lord Jim|Joseph Conrad

British Dictionary definitions for villainous

villainous

/ (ˈvɪlənəs) /

adjective

of, like, or appropriate to a villain

very bad or disagreeablea villainous climate

Derived Formsvillainously, 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

Word Origin and History for villainous

villainous

adj.

c.1300, from Old French vileneus, from villain; see villain.

villainous

adjective

RELATED CONTENT

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of villainous

Examples from the Web for villainous

British Dictionary definitions for villainous

villainous

adjective

Word Origin and History for villainous

villainous