villain

noun

vil·​lain ˈvi-lən 

1

: a character in a story or play who opposes the hero

2

: a deliberate scoundrel or criminal

3

: one blamed for a particular evil or difficulty

automation as the villain in job … displacement

—M. H. Goldberg

4

: villein

5

: an uncouth person : boor

Synonyms

• baddie
• baddy
• beast
• brute
• caitiff
• devil
• evildoer
• fiend
• heavy
• hound
• knave
• meanie
• meany
• miscreant
• monster
• nazi
• no-good
• rapscallion
• rascal
• reprobate
• rogue
• savage
• scalawag
• scallywag
• scamp
• scapegrace
• scoundrel
• varlet
• wretch

Examples of villain in a Sentence

He plays the villain in most of his movies.

She describes her first husband as a villain who treated her terribly.

Don't try to make me the villain. It's your own fault that you're having these problems.

Recent Examples on the Web

Plot details haven’t been revealed, but Bautista will voice a villain character. —Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 18 Apr. 2024

Over the course of the conversation, host Josh Horowitz asked him if there was any truth to the fact that the studio wanted Tom Hanks or Adam Driver for the villain role. —Christy Piña, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English vilain, vilein, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin villanus, from Latin villa

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Kids Definition

villain

noun

vil·​lain ˈvil-ən 

1

: villein

2

: an evil person : scoundrel

3

: a character in a story or play who opposes the hero