Added 9 October 2026
devious
/ˈdiː.vi.əs/ adjective
Latin root: devius First recorded: 1630 Wiktionary
adjective Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about devious at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
- Cunning or deceiving, not straightforward or honest, not frank.
- Roundabout, circuitous, deviating from the direct or ordinary route.
Origin
1590s, "out of the common or direct way," from Latin devius (“out of the way, remote, off the main road”), from de via, from de (“off”) (see de-) + via (“way, road”). Compare deviate. Originally in the Latin literal sense; the figurative sense of "deceitful" is first recorded 1630s. Related to deviously, deviousness. Figurative senses of the Latin word were "retired, sequestered, wandering in the byways, foolish, inconsistent."
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)