devious

adjective

de·​vi·​ous ˈdē-vē-əs 

-vyəs

1

a

: wandering, roundabout

a devious path

b

: moving without a fixed course : errant

devious breezes

2

: out-of-the-way, remote

upon devious coasts

3

a

: deviating from a right, accepted, or common course

devious conduct

b

: not straightforward : cunning

a devious politician

also : deceptive

a devious trick

a devious plot

deviously adverb

deviousness noun

Did you know?

The "Lost" History of Devious

If you think someone devious has lost their way, you're right, etymologically speaking—the word derives from the Latin adjective devius, itself formed from the prefix de- ("from" or "away") and the noun via ("way"). When devious was first used in the 16th century, it implied a literal wandering off the way, suggesting something that meandered or had no fixed course (as in "a devious route" or "devious breezes"). Relatively quickly, however, the word came to describe someone or something that had left the right path metaphorically rather than literally, or to describe deceitful rather than straightforward behavior.

Synonyms

• artful
• beguiling
• cagey
• cagy
• crafty
• cunning
• cute
• designing
• dodgy [chiefly British]
• foxy
• guileful
• scheming
• shrewd
• slick
• sly
• subtle
• tricky
• wily

Examples of devious in a Sentence

a dishonest and devious politician

He took us by a devious route to the center of the city.

Recent Examples on the Web

As if to underline how emotions and relationships can make devious scheming more complicated, this week’s case — another good one! —Noel Murray, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2024

The only male character who polled lower than any woman on the list was Frank Underwood, played by Kevin Spacey, an insanely devious fictional president who was responsible for multiple murders on the Netflix drama. —Judy Kurtz, The Hill, 29 Oct. 2024

Yet there's little-more devious than the increase in sextortion cases linked to the West African scammers. —Matt Burgess, WIRED, 7 Sep. 2024

There’s certainly nothing helpless about Greta, who pirouettes with devious finesse into our dark, cold, tell-tale hearts. —Nicholas Bell, SPIN, 4 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin devius, from de from + via way — more at de-, way

First Known Use

1599, in the meaning defined at sense 2

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Kids Definition

devious

adjective

de·​vi·​ous ˈdē-vē-əs 

1

: straying from a straight course : roundabout

the devious trail that wound along the creek

leading through devious mazes

2

: sneaky, deceptive

a devious plan

got it by devious means

deviously adverb

deviousness noun