Vitious
/ˈvɪʃəs/noun
An obsolete or archaic spelling of “vicious,” meaning morally bad, corrupt, or wicked.
Did you know?Vitious entered English through medieval forms influenced by Old French and Latin, where vice was understood not merely as bad behavior but as a defect or corruption in character.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Latin
Latin
vitium
“A fault, defect, blemish, or moral failing”
Classical Latin
Latin
vitiōsus
“Faulty, defective, corrupt, or full of vice”
12th–13th Century
Old French
vicieus
“Vicious, corrupt, morally bad”
Middle English
English
vicious / vitious
“Wicked, depraved, or prone to wrongdoing; “vitious” was a variant spelling”
Modern English
English
vicious
“Cruel, violent, savage, or morally wicked; “vitious” survives mainly in historical or archaic usage”