archvillain

English

Alternative forms

• arch-villain

Etymology

From arch- (“chief, most extreme”) +‎ villain.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˌɑːtʃˈvɪlən/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˌɑɹt͡ʃˈvɪlən/
• Rhymes: -ɪlən

Noun

archvillain (plural archvillains)

1. (chiefly narratology) A supreme villain; the most evil or powerful villain.
   • 2009 January 6, Clyde Haberman, “We Know About the Mess. Please, Clean Up Carefully.”, in New York Times‎^[1]:

     Madoff is the season's archvillain, accused of having run a Ponzi scheme so vast that future generations may well describe similar swindles as Madoff schemes.

Related terms

• supervillain

Translations

a supreme villain; the most evil or powerful villain

• Finnish: arkkivihollinen (fi), arkkikonna (informal)
• Portuguese: arquivilão m