Vice
/vaɪs/noun
Immoral or wicked behavior; a bad habit or flaw.
Did you know?In Latin, *vitium* meant a flaw, defect, or moral failing, and that same root also gave us *victim* through the idea of something designated for sacrifice or harm.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*weyd-
“to separate or divide; later associated in Latin with a defect or fault”
Classical Latin
Latin
vitium
“a fault, defect, blemish, moral failing”
Late Latin
Latin
vītium
“vice, wickedness, vice as a moral flaw”
Old French
Old French
vice
“fault, moral failing, depravity”
Middle English
English
vice
“immoral conduct, sinful habit”
Modern English
English
vice
“immoral or wicked behavior; a bad habit or flaw”
Explore more surprising origins