• IPA: /ˈvɪlən/

1. A vile, wicked person.
   • c. 1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act 4, scene 2]:

     Thou liest, thou shag-haired villain.

   1. An extremely depraved person, or one capable or guilty of great crimes.
   2. A deliberate scoundrel.
2. In fiction, a character who has the role of being bad, especially antagonizing the hero.

   Synonyms: bad guy, Thesaurus:villain

   • July 18 2012, Scott Tobias, AV Club The Dark Knight Rises[http://www.avclub.com/articles/the-dark-knight-rises-review-batman,82624/]

     As The Dark Knight Rises brings a close to Christopher Nolan’s staggeringly ambitious Batman trilogy, it’s worth remembering that director chose The Scarecrow as his first villain—not necessarily the most popular among the comic’s gallery of rogues, but the one who set the tone for entire series.

3. (poker) Any opponent player, especially a hypothetical player for example and didactic purposes. Compare: hero ("the current player").

   Let's discuss how to play if you are the chip leader (that is, if you have more chips than all the villains).

4. Archaic form of villein#English|villein.

• knave
• rascal
• scamp
• cad
• See also Thesaurus:villain
• See also Thesaurus:troublemaker

• villein

• French: scélérat
• German: Schurke, Gauner
• Italian: canaglia, furfante, mascalzone, farabutto, criminale, scellerato
• Portuguese: vilão, salafrário, patife
• Russian: злоде́й
• Spanish: villano

• French: méchant
• German: Bösewicht, (fam) Oberböse
• Italian: il cattivo
• Portuguese: vilão
• Russian: злоде́й
• Spanish: villano

• French: vilain, paysan
• Italian: vassallo, servo feudale
• Russian: васса́л

villain (villains, present participle villaining; past and past participle villained)

1. (obsolete, transitive) To debase; to degrade.