wickedness

C2+ Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /ˈwɪkɪdnəs/ UK /ˈwɪkɪdnəs/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
the quality of being morally wrong or evil

The sermon warned against the wickedness lurking in idle hearts.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the quality of being... evil iniquitysinfulnessdepravity villainy immorality vileness

Opposites

goodness virtue righteousness morality

Word family

Related forms wicked wick

Etymology

From wicked + -ness; wicked is from Middle English wikked, an extension of wicke ('bad, evil'), from Old English wicca ('wizard, sorcerer') and related forms.

wicca Old English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Abstract Ideas Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# wickedness

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈwɪkɪdnəs/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈwɪkɪdnəs/

## Meanings
1. the quality of being morally wrong or evil

## Examples
- The sermon warned against the wickedness lurking in idle hearts.

## Synonyms
- evil
- iniquity
- sinfulness
- depravity
- villainy
- immorality
- vileness

## Antonyms
- goodness
- virtue
- righteousness
- morality

## Related Forms
- wicked
- wick

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: wicca

## Etymology
From wicked + -ness; wicked is from Middle English wikked, an extension of wicke ('bad, evil'), from Old English wicca ('wizard, sorcerer') and related forms.

## AI Etymology
Wickedness is from wicked + -ness; wicked is from Middle English wikked, an extension of wicke ('bad, evil'), from Old English wicca ('wizard, sorcerer') and related forms. Important recorded forms include wicca (Old English). Morphologically, the word is a built form whose named elements carry part of the historical sense. The current sense covers the quality of being morally wrong or evil. The wider family includes related words such as wicked and wick.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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