miscreant

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   Lacking in conscience or moral principles; unscrupulous.

   How do we get fair treatment when confronting miscreant workers sometimes means no care at all?

2. 2
   noun

   One who has behaved badly, or illegally.

   The teacher sent the miscreants to see the school principal.

3. 3
   noun

   One not restrained by moral principles; an unscrupulous villain.

   A meagre Catchpole hurries me to fail; No Miscreant, so remorseless, ever tore Thy Journals, Fog, or knock'd at Franklin's door.

From Middle English myscreaunt, miscreaunt, from Old French mescreant (1080) "mis-believer", present participle of mescreire "to misbelieve" (modern mécroire). Cognate with French mécréant.

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