vile
UK: vaɪl | US: vaɪl
adj. extremely unpleasant or morally bad
adj. of little worth or value
The word "vile" traces back to Latin vilis, meaning "cheap" or "of low value," reflecting its modern sense of moral or qualitative baseness. Over time, it evolved in Old French as vil before entering Middle English with intensified negative connotations, emphasizing worthlessness or repulsiveness. The silent "e" in Modern English preserves the spelling but does not alter the core meaning.
The dictator's vile actions shocked the world.
She was disgusted by the vile smell from the dumpster.
His vile temper made him unpopular among colleagues.
The crime was described as particularly vile by the judge.
They lived in vile conditions, with no clean water or proper shelter.