vilain

French

Etymology

Inherited from Old French vilain, vilein, villein, from Late Latin vīllānus (“farm worker”), from Latin vīlla. Not related to vil.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /vi.lɛ̃/, (before a vowel) /vi.lɛn‿/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Homophone: vilains

Noun

vilain m (plural vilains, feminine vilaine)

1. villain
2. peasant
3. country dweller

Derived terms

• jeu de main, jeu de vilain
• oignez vilain, il vous poindra ; poignez vilain, il vous oindra
• super-vilain

Adjective

vilain (feminine vilaine, masculine plural vilains, feminine plural vilaines) (dated)

1. ugly

   Synonyms: laid, moche

   Antonyms: beau, joli

   une vilaine couleur ― an ugly color

   une vilaine voix ― an ugly voice

2. disagreeable, awful

   Il fait vilain. ― The weather is awful.

   La curiosité est un vilain défaut. ― Curiosity killed the cat.

3. naughty

   Synonym: mauvais

   Antonyms: gentil, sage

   de vilains enfants ― naughty children

4. villainous, wicked, nasty, evil

   Synonyms: cruel, dangereux, mauvais, méchant

   de vilaines actions ― wicked deeds

   une vilaine fièvre ― a bad fever

   Elle a un vilain rhume. ― She's got a nasty cold.

   Il m’a joué un vilain tour. ― He played a dirty trick on me.

Derived terms

• la curiosité est un vilain défaut
• vilain petit canard

Related terms

• ville

Further reading

• “vilain”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Norman

Etymology

From Old French vilain, from Late Latin vīllānus (“farm worker”), from Latin vīlla.

Adjective

vilain m

1. (Jersey) ugly

Old French

Alternative forms

• vilein (Anglo-Norman)
• villein

Etymology

From Late Latin vīllānus (“farm worker”), from Latin vīlla.

Noun

vilain oblique singular, m (oblique plural vilainz, nominative singular vilainz, nominative plural vilain)

1. peasant; commoner

Synonyms

• païsan

Descendants

• French: vilain
• Norman: vilain
• → Middle English: vilein
  • English: villain