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mis·chie·vous

(mĭschə-vəs)

adj.

1. Causing mischief.

2. Playful in a naughty or teasing way.

3. Troublesome; irritating: a mischievous prank.

4. Causing harm, injury, or damage: mischievous rumors and falsehoods.

[Middle English mischevous, from mischef, mischief; see MISCHIEF.]

mischie·vous·ly adv.

mischie·vous·ness n.

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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