villain

noun

/ˈvɪl.ən/

Definition

› [C] a bad person who harms other people or breaks the law: Some people believe that Richard III was not the villain he is generally thought to have been. He's either a hero or a villain, depending on your point of view.Criminals - general words › [C] UK informal a criminal: Bert's just a small-time villain.Criminals - general words › [C] a character in a book, play, film, etc. who harms other people: He made his reputation as an actor playing villains.Characters in literature and film › [C usually singular] informal something or someone considered harmful or dangerous: We've always been told that cholesterol was a major cause of heart disease but, actually, saturated fat is the worst villain.Difficult things and peoplePreventing and impedingWorse and worst

(Definition of villain noun from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)