# vicious

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈvɪʃəs/ · frequency rank #9,270

## Definitions
1. Violent, destructive and cruel.
2. Savage and aggressive.
3. Pertaining to vice; characterised by immorality or depravity.

## Etymology
PIE word
 *dwóh₁
From Middle English vicious, from Anglo-Norman vicious, (modern French vicieux), from Latin vitiōsus, from vitium (“fault, vice”). Equivalent to vice + -ous.

## Easily confused with
- **visions** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/vicious-vs-visions)
- **viscous** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/vicious-vs-viscous)
- **viciously** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/vicious-vs-viciously)
- **vivacious** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/vicious-vs-vivacious)
- **various** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/various-vs-vicious)
- **vicarious** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/vicarious-vs-vicious)

## Common misspellings (9)
`ivcious`, `vciious`, `viccious`, `viciosu`, `viciouss`, `viciuos`, `vicoius`, `viicous`, `vvicious`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/vicious