vice

¹vice

noun \ˈvīs\

Definition of VICE

1

a : moral depravity or corruption : wickedness b : a moral fault or failing c : a habitual and usually trivial defect or shortcoming : foible <suffered from the vice of curiosity>

2

: blemish, defect

3

: a physical imperfection, deformity, or taint

4

a often capitalized : a character representing one of the vices in an English morality play b : buffoon, jester

5

: an abnormal behavior pattern in a domestic animal detrimental to its health or usefulness

6

: sexual immorality; especially : prostitution

Examples of VICE

1. Such men are prone to vice.
2. He thought gambling was a vice.
3. Eating too much is my vice.
4. The city is a den of filth and vice.

Origin of VICE

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin vitium fault, vice

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to VICE

Synonyms: corruption, debauchery, depravity, immorality, iniquitousness, iniquity, libertinage, libertinism, licentiousness, profligacy, sin

Antonyms: morality, virtue

Related Words: bad, badness, blackness, evil, evildoing, ill, turpitude, villainy, wickedness, wrong; atrociousness, evilness, heinousness, sinfulness, unscrupulousness, viciousness, vileness, villainousness; devilry (or deviltry), fiendishness; corruptness, debasement, degeneracy, degeneration, depravedness, dissoluteness, dissolution; indecency, lasciviousness, lechery, lewdness, looseness, perversion, pervertedness, wantonness; abomination, anathema, taboo (also tabu); criminality, reprehensibleness; baseness, despicableness, dirtiness, lowness, meanness; lousiness, miserableness, wretchedness

Near Antonyms: good, right; honesty, honor, integrity, legitimacy, probity, rectitude, scrupulosity, scrupulousness, uprightness; goodness, righteousness, virtuousness; blamelessness; chastity, innocence, perfection, pureness, purity, spotlessness; cleanness, correctness, decency, decorousness, propriety, rightness, seemliness

see all synonyms and antonyms

[+]more[-]hide

See Synonym Discussion at fault, offense

Rhymes with VICE

dice, gneiss, ice, lyse, nice, pice, price, rice, slice, spice, splice, syce, thrice, trice, twice, vise