Vicious
/ˈvɪʃ.əs/noun
Deliberately cruel or violent; morally bad.
Did you know?The word 'vicious' is linked to the Latin term for 'evil' or 'wicked', tying it to the darker aspects of human nature and behavior.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
vitiosus
“Full of faults, defective, or wicked.”
Old French
Old French
vicios
“Vicious, immoral, or wicked.”
Middle English
Middle English
vicis
“Wicked, evil, or morally corrupt.”
Modern English
English
vicious
“Characterized by cruelty or immoral behavior.”