villain
/ˈvɪlən/ · vil·lain
noun
- A vile, wicked person. The villain in the novel was a ruthless businessman who exploited workers.
- In fiction, a character who antagonizes the hero. The superhero’s greatest villain was a mastermind with a personal vendetta.
- Any opponent player, especially in hypothetical or didactic contexts. Let’s discuss strategies if you are the chip leader, that is, if you have more chips than all the villains.
- A feudal tenant, originally a peasant or farmhand. In medieval England, a villan was a tenant farmer who worked the lord’s land.
verb
- To debase or degrade someone. He tried to villain the new policy by spreading false rumors.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Did you know? The word "villain" originally referred to a peasant or tenant farmer; its negative connotation developed only in the late Middle Ages when peasants were associated with low status and unruly behavior.