There are 65,800 search results on Bing for the misspelling 'Viscious'. 'Viscious' ranks in the top 0 of most common errors caught by TripleChecker, with at least 92 websites containing this mistake.¹
'Vicious' is primarily an adjective. It describes something that is intentionally harmful, cruel, or violent. In some contexts, it can also refer to actions or behaviors that are morally bad or wicked.
Vicious
The word 'vicious' originates from the Latin word 'viciousus', which means "full of faults, depraved," stemming from 'vitium', meaning "fault" or "defect". It entered Middle English through Old French in the 14th century.
The word "vicious" is pronounced as /ˈvɪʃ.əs/. It sounds like "VISH-uhs."
The word 'vicious' can be used in a sentence such as, "The vicious attack left the community in shock and fear." When using 'vicious,' it is important to ensure the context reflects its meaning, which often relates to brutal or harsh behavior, and to avoid confusion with similarly spelled words like 'viscous,' which pertains to thickness or stickiness. Additionally, proper spelling is crucial; the word is spelled with double 'c' and a single 's' at the end.