mischevious

English

Etymology

From mischievous, under the influence of adjectives ending in -ious.

Pronunciation

• enPR: mĭs.chēʹ.vē.əs, IPA^(key): /mɪsˈt͡ʃiː.vi.əs/.

Adjective

mischevious

1. Alternative form of mischievous and mischievious
   • 1729, James Augustus Blondel, The Power of the Mother's Imagination Over the Foetus Examin'd:

     'Tis mischevious and cruel: it disturbs whole Families, distracts the Brains of credulous People, and puts them in continuous Fear, and in Danger of their Lives:

   • 1897, David Thomas Marvel et al., Delaware Reports, Containing Cases Decided in the Supreme Court [...], volume 34, page 57:

     That in actions for damages for libel, where the truth is pleaded and given in evidence, if it be found that the same was written or published properly for public information, and with no malicious or mischevious motives, the jury may find for the defendant or defendants...

   • 1970, John W. Fitzmaurice, The Shanty Boy, page 63:

     One young Swede, whose English consisted wholly in the simple affirmative, "yes, O yes," and which he used to every interrogation, is beheld seated between two mischevious young lads, who are plying him with questions.

   • 2015, John Hyland, Ginger and Alice: The Story of Two Mischevious Gerbils:

     When Ginger came home from the pet store, she was scared! But she soon made friends with Alice, the most mischievous gerbil she'd ever met! What kind of crazy adventures will she become part of?

Usage notes

• This spelling, like mischievious, is attested from the 16th century on, so the corresponding pronunciation is at least as old.

Anagrams

• mischievous