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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
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 24 Oct. 2025
Perhaps Munro’s most popular role is as Betty’s devious dad, Hal Cooper, on Riverdale (2017–2023).
—Skyler Trepel, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Oct. 2025
The Magic Kingdom’s Villains Land will include two major attractions, dining and shopping in a dark, devious and thorny land where the evil ambitions of Disney Villains can run wild and their stories can be told.
—Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 17 Oct. 2025
Our wrap actually occurred at a much less devious-sounding feature—Huggy Bear.
—Madison Dapcevich, Outside, 13 Sep. 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 4 Nov. 2025.
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devious
adjective
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