Mischievous

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈmɪst͡ʃɪvÉ™s/

Alternative forms

• mischievious, mischevious common misspellings

Origin

From Anglo-Norman meschevous, from Old French meschever, from mes- ("mis-") + chever ("come to an end") (from chef ("head")).

Full definition of mischievous

Adjective

1. Causing mischief; injurious.
• 1793, Joseph Butler, The Analogy of Religion, ...; that good and bad actions at present are naturally rewarded and punished, not only as beneficial and mischievous to society, but also as virtuous and civious; ...
• 1892, Henry Sidgwick, Outlines of the History of Ethics, On the whole, therefore, he concludes that the point of indulgence at which these self-passions or self-affections begin to be mischievous to the individual coincides with that at which they begin to be mischievous to society; ...
2. Troublesome, cheeky, badly behaved.Matthew had a twin brother called Edward, who was always mischievous and badly behaved.

Synonyms

• (causing mischief) harmful, hurtful, detrimental, noxious, pernicious, destructive; see also
• (badly-behaved) badly-behaved, naughty

Derived terms

• mischievously
• mischievousness

Anagrams

• mischevious