nefarious

[ ni-fair-ee-uhs ]
See synonyms for: nefariousnefariousness on Thesaurus.com

adjective
  1. extremely wicked or villainous; iniquitous: a nefarious plot.

Origin of nefarious

1
First recorded in 1595–1605; from Latin nefārius “wicked, vile,” equivalent to nefās “offense against divine or moral law” (from ne-, negative prefix + fās “law, right”) + -ius -ious

Other words for nefarious

Opposites for nefarious

Other words from nefarious

  • ne·far·i·ous·ly, adverb
  • ne·far·i·ous·ness, noun
  • un·ne·far·i·ous, adjective
  • un·ne·far·i·ous·ly, adverb
  • un·ne·far·i·ous·ness, noun

Words Nearby nefarious

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use nefarious in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for nefarious

nefarious

/ (nɪˈfɛərɪəs) /


adjective
  1. evil; wicked; sinful

Origin of nefarious

1
C17: from Latin nefārius, from nefās unlawful deed, from not + fās divine law

Derived forms of nefarious

  • nefariously, adverb
  • nefariousness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012