English Explanatory Dictionary

mischievous

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj
  1. Causing mischief; injurious.
  2. Troublesome, cheeky, badly behaved, impish, naughty, disobedient; showing a fondness for causing trouble in a playful way and liking to have fun by playing harmless tricks on people or doing things they are not supposed to do.

Pronunciation

/ˈmɪs.t͡ʃɪ.vəs/ en-us-mischievous.ogg /ˈmɪs.t͡ʃə.vəs/ /mɪsˈt͡ʃiː.vi.əs/ /mɪsˈt͡ʃiː.vəs/

Word forms

mischievous more mischievous most mischievous mischievious mischevious

Etymology

From Middle English myschevous, mischevous, from Anglo-Norman meschevous, from Old French meschever, from mes- (“mis-”) + chever (“come to an end”) (from chef (“head”)). By surface analysis, mischief + -ous.

Synonyms

hurtful detrimental noxious pernicious destructive harmful badly-behaved naughty

Derived words

mischievously mischievousness nonmischievous
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