Meanings
adjectiveknavish (comparative more knavish, superlative most knavish)
comparative more knavish · superlative most knavish
- Having the characteristics of a knave; mischievous, roguish, waggish, rascally or impertinent.
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectivemarked by skill in deception
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Middle Englishknavych
- Englishknavish
From Middle English knavych, knavyssh; equivalent to knave + -ish.
More words from Middle English
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek πανοῦργος, γλοιός
- πανοῦργος (panoûrgos)having the characteristics of a knave
- γλοιός (gloiós)having the characteristics of a knave
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with knavish
All rhymes →Cite this entry
APA
knavish. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/knavish
MLA
“knavish.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/knavish. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “knavish,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/knavish.
Source: knavish on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.