Vice

/vaɪs/

Meaning & Definition

noun

A moral fault or weakness.

Greed is a vice that can lead to numerous problems.

An immoral or evil habit or practice.

He struggled with the vice of gambling.

A specific form of wrongdoing or a crime.

The state has laws against many vices, including drug use.

A person or thing that is a substitute for another, often implying an inferior quality.

The artificial sweetener is a vice for those who want to reduce sugar intake.

verb

To carry on or conduct oneself in a manner that is considered immoral.

He was known to vice in the shadows of the night.

adjective

Having vice; morally bad or wicked.

The vice society aimed to eradicate vice behavior from the community.

Middle English, from Latin 'vitium' meaning fault or defect.

vice versa

In reverse order or relation.

vice president

An officer next in rank to the president.

no vice

Referring to someone who is without moral faults.

vicious

Characterized by or involving vice.

vitiate

To spoil or make ineffective.

vicegerent

A person exercising delegated power on behalf of a sovereign or ruler.

In some contexts, used to describe something that is bad or undesirable.

That's a real vice for the city, crime is out of control.

A way to express being addicted to something harmful.

He's got a serious vice for nicotine.