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The "Lost" History of Devious
If you think someone devious has lost their way, you're right, etymologically speaking—the word derives from the Latin adjective devius, itself formed from the prefix de- ("from" or "away") and the noun via ("way"). When devious was first used in the 16th century, it implied a literal wandering off the way, suggesting something that meandered or had no fixed course (as in "a devious route" or "devious breezes"). Relatively quickly, however, the word came to describe someone or something that had left the right path metaphorically rather than literally, or to describe deceitful rather than straightforward behavior.
Examples of devious in a Sentence
Nick Caruso, TVLine, 15 May 2025
But the scam is particularly devious since the Trump administration has tried to revoke visas for foreign students while detaining others for views critical of Israel’s war in Gaza.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 14 May 2025
Its characters are well developed and singular, the dialogue is sharp, and the plot is especially devious.
—Lisa Henricksson, Air Mail, 3 May 2025
Victims lose around $3,000 to this devious behavior, The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center reports.
—Jack Kelly, Forbes.com, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for devious
Cite this Entry
“Devious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/devious. Accessed 25 May. 2025.
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devious
adjective
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