villano

villain

noun bee-YAH-noh Rare

Origin: From Latin villanus, an inhabitant of a villa (country estate), hence a rural commoner; the pejorative sense arose from medieval contempt for peasants.

Also means

peasant

Usage Note

Villano today primarily means the villain or antagonist in a story, film, or game. Its historical meaning of a feudal serf or peasant survives in scholarly and literary contexts. The feminine is villana. The English 'villain' is a direct descendant of the same Latin root.

Examples

"El villano del cuento nunca gana al final."

Natural Translation

The villain of the story never wins in the end.

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