Villain Definition & Meaning

American

British

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Examples

Related Words

Synonyms villain American [vil-uhn] / ˈvɪl ən /

noun

1. a cruelly malicious person who is involved in or devoted to wickedness or crime; scoundrel.

   Synonyms: scamp, rogue, rapscallion, rascal, knave

2. a character in a play, novel, or the like, who constitutes an important evil agency in the plot.

3. a person or thing considered to be the cause of something bad.

   Fear is the villain that can sabotage our goals.

4. villein.

villain British / ˈvɪlən /

noun

1. a wicked or malevolent person

2. (in a novel, play, film, etc) the main evil character and antagonist to the hero

3. humorous a mischievous person; rogue

4. slang:police a criminal

5. history a variant spelling of villein

6. obsolete an uncouth person; boor

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

• subvillain noun
• undervillain noun
• villainess noun

Etymology

Origin of villain

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English vilein, vilain “churlish rustic, serf,” from Middle French, from Vulgar Latin and Medieval Latin villānus “a farm servant, farmhand”; villa, -an

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

After the final whistle, the visitors' social media team, leaning into their pantomime villain status, posted a picture of Williams sharing a joke with fellow British and Irish Lion Jamie George.

From BBC

This film sees Robert Downey Junior returning, but as villain Doctor Doom.

From BBC

Jamie Campbell Bower, the actor who plays Vecna in ‘Stranger Things,’ breaks down the process of becoming the series’ terrifying villain, from his character development to the practical and visual effects behind the scenes.

From Los Angeles Times

“People today love to connect with the villain,” said the viral Grinch impersonator.

From Los Angeles Times

You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain.

From BBC

Related Words

• antihero
• bad guy
• baddie
• baddy
• criminal
• devil
• scoundrel
• sinner

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.