Definition of miscreant

< miscount

miscreate >

mis·cre·ant    (mskr-nt) KEY 

NOUN:

1. An evildoer; a villain.
2. An infidel; a heretic.

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ETYMOLOGY:
Middle English miscreaunt, heretic, from Old French mescreant, present participle of mescroire, to disbelieve : mes-, wrongly, not ; see mis-¹ + croire, to believe (from Latin crdere; see kerd- in Indo-European roots)

OTHER FORMS:
miscre·ant(Adjective)