villano
“villano” means “villain” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
villain
Also: bad guy, antagonist
📝 In Action
El villano de la película tiene un plan secreto.
A2The villain of the movie has a secret plan.
A veces los villanos son más interesantes que los héroes.
B1Sometimes villains are more interesting than heroes.
wicked
Also: despicable, vile
📝 In Action
Fue una acción villana que nadie esperaba.
B2It was a wicked action that nobody expected.
commoner
Also: peasant
📝 In Action
Los villanos no tenían los mismos derechos que los nobles.
C1The commoners did not have the same rights as the nobles.
Translate to Spanish
Words that translate to "villano" in Spanish:
antagonist→bad guy→commoner→despicable→peasant→vile→villain→wicked→✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: villano
Question 1 of 1
Which of the following is the most common modern use for 'villano'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin 'villanus,' which referred to someone who worked on a country estate or 'villa.' Because the upper classes looked down on farm workers, the word eventually shifted from meaning 'villager' to 'someone with bad manners,' and finally to 'an evil person.'
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'villano' used for women too?
Yes, but you change the 'o' to an 'a' to make it 'villana.' For example, 'Ella es la villana del cuento' (She is the villain of the story).
Does it have anything to do with the word 'villa'?
Yes! Both words come from the same Latin root. A 'villano' was originally just someone who lived in a 'villa' (a country village).