Question 1 · Quick check
villain
CEFRB2
/ˈvɪl.ən/
noun
Türkçe translations
Translating…
In plain English
- 01
noun
A bad or cruel character in a story or real life.
- 02
noun
Extra detailA vile, wicked person.
Examples
One murder makes a villain, millions a hero.
You're slower than a villain's horse.
At a glance
Sits at B2 on the CEFR scale
- Senses
- 5
- Parts of speech
- 1
- Citations
- 5
- Synonyms
- 5
Also pronounced
- /ˈvɪl.jən/
Deep Dive
noun
Extra meaningsAn extremely depraved person, or one capable or guilty of great crimes.
A deliberate scoundrel.
A character who has the role of being bad, especially antagonizing the hero; an antagonist who is also evil or malevolent.
More examples
In contextLet's discuss how to play if you are the chip leader (that is, if you have more chips than all the villains).
Oh moſt pernicious woman! / Oh Villaine, Villaine, ſmiling damned Villaine!
Thou ly’ſt thou ſhagge-ear’d Villaine.
Related
Quick test
Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.
Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.
Nearby
Origin
noun
Probably from Middle English vilein, from Old French vilein (modern French vilain), in turn from Late Latin vīllānus, meaning serf or peasant, someone who is bound to the soil of a Latin vīlla, which is to say, worked on the equivalent of a plantation in late Antiquity, in Italy or Gaul. Doublet of villein. Compare typologically pagan (see more).