devious
pronunciation
How to pronounce devious in British English:
UK [ˈdiːviəs]
How to pronounce devious in American English:
US [ˈdiːviəs]
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- Adjective:
- indirect in departing from the accepted or proper way; misleading
- characterized by insincerity or deceit; evasive
- deviating from a straight course
Word Origin
- devious
- devious: [16] Devious and its close relative deviate [17] are both based on the notion of going ‘out of the way’. They come respectively from Latin dēvius and dēviāre, compound adjective and verb formed from the prefix dē- ‘from’ and via ‘way’.=> deviate, via
- devious (adj.)
- 1590s, "out of the way," from Latin devius "out of the way, remote, off the main road," from de via (see deviate). Originally in the Latin literal sense; figurative sense of "deceitful" is first recorded 1630s. Related: Deviously; deviousness. Figurative senses of the Latin word were "retired, sequestered, wandering in the byways, foolish, inconsistent."
Example
- 1. And by what devious means have you violated my inner sanctum ?
- 2. He got rich by devious means .
- 3. I asked and devious grins spread across their faces .
- 4. Consultants who are prepared to use devious means to justify their actions .
- 5. Achieved success by devious means .