devious

UK: /ˈdiːviəs/ US: /ˈdiviəs/ ,(dē′vē əs)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

de•vi•ous /ˈdiviəs/   adj. 

1. departing or turning away from the most direct way;
   roundabout:
   a devious course.
2. not straightforward;
   shifty;
   dishonest:
   His devious business methods landed him in trouble.

de•vi•ous•ly, adv. 
de•vi•ous•ness, n. 

[uncountable] the necessary deviousness to be a thief.

See -via-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

de•vi•ous  (dē′vē əs), adj. 

1. departing from the most direct way;
   circuitous;
   indirect:
   a devious course.
2. without definite course;
   vagrant:
   a devious current.
3. departing from the proper or accepted way;
   roundabout:
   a devious procedure.
4. not straightforward;
   shifty or crooked:
   a devious scheme to acquire wealth.

• Latin dēvius out-of-the way, erratic, equivalent. to dē- de- + -vius adjective, adjectival derivative of via way; see -ous
• 1590–1600

de′vi•ous•ly, adv. 
de′vi•ous•ness, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. roundabout, tortuous, involved.
• 4. subtle, cunning, crafty, artful, sly.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

devious / ˈdiːvɪəs/ adjective

1. not sincere or candid; deceitful; underhand
2. (of a route or course of action) rambling; indirect; roundabout
3. going astray from a proper or accepted way; erring

Etymology: 16th Century: from Latin dēvius lying to one side of the road, from de- + via road

ˈdeviously adverb

ˈdeviousness noun