-nē, -ni noun
( -es )
Etymology: Middle English vileinie, vilainie, vilenie, from Old French, from vilein, vilain villain, villein + -ie -y — more at villain
1.
a. : villainous action or conduct
his master crime, a singular piece of atrocious villainy — George Borrow
b. : the quality or state of being villainous : extreme depravity or wickedness
the villainy of a seducer
a power of villainy walking in the world — J.M.Synge
2. : a villainous act : a deed of an evil or objectionable character
is not a brutal revelation of fact often a consummate villainy — Cecil Sprigge