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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.
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Examples of devious in a Sentence
Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 May 2024
But there are only so many places cameras are allowed to go, so Panh supplements his frame, and the trio’s documentations, with a visual device that seems charming and whimsical, but soon takes on a devious quality.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 16 May 2024
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'devious.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Devious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/devious. Accessed 29 May. 2024.
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devious
adjective
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