adjective
villainous
VIL-uh-nus/ˈvɪlənəs/
Morally wicked or evil.
The robber’s villainous attack frightens the woman.
Etymology
“Peasant” became an insult for someone low-born or ill-mannered, then a label for a wicked person. The adjective describes conduct or character fitting that moralized insult.
In context
in the midst of all of this, there's a rather fascinating love story. And the amazing thing is this character who, in my own work, has been portrayed as purely villainous, clearly fell in love.
More examples
- Her villainous betrayal endangered the whole village.
- The actor enjoyed playing the villainous uncle.
- The scheme was clever but thoroughly villainous.
Forms
villainous · more villainous · most villainous
villain noun — a wicked person or fictional antagonist