Villainy
/ˈvɪl.ə.ni/noun
Evil, wicked, or criminal behavior.
Did you know?Villainy comes from a word for a rustic farmhand, because in medieval society low social status could be morally smeared into “base” behavior over time.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*wel-
“to dwell, stay, or wish”
Latin
Latin
villa
“a country house, estate, or rural dwelling”
Old French
Old French
vilain
“a peasant, farm laborer; later, a base or uncouth person”
Middle English
English
vilain
“a low-born rustic; later, a wicked or morally base person”
14th–15th Century
English
villainy
“villainous conduct; wickedness or criminal behavior”
Modern English
English
villainy
“evil or criminal acts, especially in a dramatic or moral sense”