villain — a character in a story or play who opposes the hero
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: a character in a story or play who opposes the hero
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈvɪlən/
Example Sentences
- My cat is the villain who knocked over my coffee mug this morning.
- Every superhero movie needs a memorable villain.
- In this story, money is the real villain that corrupts everyone.
villain
NOUN[/ˈvɪlən/]
a character in a story or play who opposes the hero
The masked villain snatches the crown and cackles as guards chase him through the palace.
One villain threatens a million civilians
Got the picture? Now let's practice.
🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Old French 'vilain' meaning a peasant or commoner, derived from Latin 'villanus' (farmhand or serf), related to 'villa' (country estate). The sense evolved from a low-status person to a morally corrupt character in literature.
Breakdown
Old French 'vil-' (base relating to villa/farmstead) + '-ain' (agent/person suffix) = vilain (peasant), later applied to morally base characters = villain
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My cat is the villain who knocked over my coffee mug this morning.”
“Every superhero movie needs a memorable villain.”
“In this story, money is the real villain that corrupts everyone.”
“The diet plan was the villain that made me dream about pizza every night.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related
Want to master 19,000+ words?
Sign up free for flashcards & quizzes.