miscreant

[ mis-kree-uhnt ]

adjective

1. depraved, villainous, or base.
2. Archaic. holding a false or unorthodox religious belief; heretical.

noun

1. a vicious or depraved person; villain.
2. Archaic. a heretic or infidel.

miscreant

/ ˈmɪskrɪənt /

noun

1. a wrongdoer or villain
2. archaic.
   an unbeliever or heretic

adjective

1. evil or villainous
2. archaic.
   unbelieving or heretical

Word History and Origins

Origin of miscreant¹

1350–1400; Middle English < Middle French mescreant unbelieving, equivalent to mes- mis- ¹ + creant ≪ Latin crēdent- credent

Word History and Origins

Origin of miscreant¹

C14: from Old French mescreant unbelieving, from mes- mis- ¹+ creant, ultimately from Latin credere to believe

Example Sentences

Owner Harold ran an effective, efficient business, but the parking lot became an attractive nuisance for miscreants.

From Washington Blade

Eventually, the system became ridden with a forgery problem as miscreants looked for a way around the rules—even if it cost them hundreds of euros.

From Quartz

It’s no longer enough to just accept, and revel in, a character’s badness, allowing their miscreant behavior its own aroma of mystery.

From Time

OSSE did not accept my suggestion that it never again make announcements calling hard-working families miscreants without first talking to them.

From Washington Post

When some miscreant tweets to the world that you should kill yourself, it kinda takes the romance out of it.

From The Daily Beast

Is it mere coincidence or urban mythmaking that the miscreant line jumpers are always said to be driving Mercedes?

From The Daily Beast

Perhaps, too, like miscreant HAL 9000, the GOP is warming up to sing, “Daisy, Daisy.”

From The Daily Beast

What would have been the course of Hazletine had he seen Motoza, not doubting, as he did, the guilt of the miscreant?

From Project Gutenberg

For some reasons Jack Dudley would have welcomed a meeting with this miscreant, for he held him in no fear.

From Project Gutenberg

Wi' matchless skeel, Tam o' the Scoots banked over an' brocht the gallant miscreant to terra firma—puir laddie!

From Project Gutenberg

Exemplify the sibilant impurity with such syllables as pish, false, traitress, miscreant.

From Project Gutenberg

The miscreant would offer harm to no one until he had gathered the knowledge he sought.

From Project Gutenberg