devious
/ˈdiː.vi.əs/ adjective
- adjective Cunning or deceiving, not straightforward or honest, not frank.
- adjective (literal, archaic) Roundabout, circuitous, deviating from the direct or ordinary route.
Synonyms
Etymology
1590s, "out of the common or direct way," from Latin devius (“out of the way, remote, off the main road”), from de via, from de (“off”) (see de-) + via (“way, road”). Compare deviate. Originally in the Latin literal sense; the figurative sense of "deceitful" is first recorded 1630s. Related to deviously, deviousness. Figurative senses of the Latin word were "retired, sequestered, wandering in the byways, foolish, inconsistent."
Webster’s 1913
- adjective Out of a straight line; winding; varying from directness; as, a devious path or way.
- adjective Going out of the right or common course; going astray; erring; wandering; as, a devious step.
Etymology [L. devius; de + via way. See Viaduct.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “devious”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details