Evil
Intentional cruelty, moral failure, and the word that ends further inquiry.
How We Say It
eeยทvษl
Where It Comes From
Old English yfel โ bad, vicious, ill. One of the oldest words in the Germanic languages. Proto-Germanic root possibly meaning 'exceeding due limits.' The theological sense of evil as an active force or entity developed through Christian doctrine.
How It's Been Used
Political use of 'evil' โ 'axis of evil,' 'evil empire' โ borrows the theological charge to make political opponents into moral absolutes. The word forecloses negotiation; you cannot compromise with evil. Its use in political speech is therefore almost always a signal that nuance is unwelcome.