Did You Know?
"Vicious" and "villainous" are two wicked synonyms of "nefarious," and, like "nefarious," both mean "highly reprehensible or offensive in character, nature, or conduct." But these synonyms are not used in exactly the same way in all situations. "Vicious" may imply moral depravity or it may connote malignancy, cruelty, or destructive violence. "Villainous" applies to any evil, depraved, or vile conduct or characteristic, while "nefarious" (which derives from the Latin noun "nefas," meaning "crime") suggests flagrant breaching of time-honored laws and traditions of conduct. "Nefarious" first appeared in English in the early 17th century, whereas "vicious" and "villainous" preceded "nefarious" by about two hundred years.
