devious

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   deviating from a straight course

   A scenic but devious route.

Appears in

Simplified etymology

Devious entered English in the late 16th century and derives from Latin via “way, road.” The source associates devious behaviour with the literal idea of turning away from the path.

1590s, "out of the common or direct way," from Latin devius (“out of the way, remote, off the main road”), from de via, from de (“off”) (see de-) + via (“way, road”). Compare deviate. Originally in the Latin literal sense; the figurative sense of "deceitful" is first recorded 1630s. Related to deviously, deviousness. Figurative senses of the Latin word were "retired, sequestered, wandering in the byways, foolish, inconsistent."

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