evil

Overview

Meaning Now

• Profoundly immoral, wicked, or malevolent.
• Harmful or injurious in effect.

Journey

The word stems from a Germanic root shared by many languages to denote that which deviates from the expected standard or moral order. Unlike specific terms for 'criminal' or 'cruel', 'evil' has retained a strong theological and philosophical weight throughout English history.

Evolution

1. Proto-Germanic

   *ubilaz

   “bad, wicked”

2. Old English

   yfel

   “bad, wicked, vicious”

   General term for what is not good.

3. Middle English

   evel

   “harmful, morally bad”

   Development of long vowel sound.

4. Modern English

   evil

   “profoundly wicked”

Connections

Explore next

Related to evil

• acorn→
• acre→
• again→
• malevolent→