Main Entry: mis·chie·vous

Pronunciation: \ˈmis-chə-vəs, ˈmish-; ÷mis-ˈchē-vē-əs, mish-\

Function: adjective

Date: 14th century

1 : harmful, injurious <mischievous gossip>
2 a : able or tending to cause annoyance, trouble, or minor injury b : irresponsibly playful <mischievous behavior>

— mis·chie·vous·ly adverb

— mis·chie·vous·ness noun

usage A pronunciation \mis-ˈchē-vē-əs\ and a consequent spelling mischievious are of long standing: evidence for the spelling goes back to the 16th century. Our pronunciation files contain modern attestations ranging from dialect speakers to Herbert Hoover. But both the pronunciation and the spelling are still considered nonstandard.