villainous
pronunciation
How to pronounce villainous in British English:
UK [ˈvɪlənəs]
How to pronounce villainous in American English:
US [ˈvɪlənəs]
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- Adjective:
- extremely wicked
Word Origin
- villainous (adj.)
- c. 1300, "offensive, abusive," from Old French vileneus "worthless, base," from vilain (see villain). Sense of "despicable, shameful, morally corrupt" is from c. 1400 in English. Related: Villainously; villainousness.
Example
- 1. All thanks to the hopeless , villainous tepco .
- 2. Some view history as just the biography of great and of villainous men .
- 3. On the contrary , it seems to me that , on the strength of his daily acts , he must be set down a most cruel , stupid and villainous fellow .