# vicious

Pronunciation: say "VISH-uhs" /ˈvɪʃəs/

## Adjective

1. Marked by violence, cruelty, and a clear intent to cause harm or destruction.
   - Simple: Very cruel and violent, meant to hurt or destroy.
   - _The boxer landed a vicious blow to his opponent's jaw._
   - _Rebel forces carried out a vicious raid that razed the village._
2. Savage and aggressive, especially in temperament or manner of attack.
   - Simple: Fierce, wild, and quick to attack.
   - _The cornered animal grew vicious, snapping at everyone who approached._
   - _Rival supporters traded vicious shoves and threats outside the stadium._

## Adjective

3. Given to vice; marked by immorality or moral depravity. *(archaic)*
   - Simple: Living in a bad, sinful, or immoral way.
   - _Moralists of the age condemned the vicious idleness of the young nobles._
   - _He led a vicious existence of gambling, drink, and squandered fortune._

## Origin

From Middle English vicious, borrowed via Anglo-Norman vicious (modern French vicieux) from Latin vitiōsus, itself from vitium ("fault, vice"). It is equivalent to vice + -ous.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/vicious (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).