vicious

Where does the word "vicious" come from? It comes from Latin vitiosus, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).

Vicious’s story begins in Latin: vitiosus meant “faulty, full of vice.” From 'vitium', fault, the root of 'vice'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as vicious. Meant morally corrupt. It reached English by 1300s as vicious. 'vicious circle' dates from the 1790s. Today, vicious means deliberately cruel or violent.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient vitiosus "faulty, full of vice", from 'vitium', fault, the root of 'vice'.
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval vicious "wicked", meant morally corrupt.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1300s vicious "wicked", 'vicious circle' dates from the 1790s.