miscreant

Meanings

Adjective

• Lacking in conscience or moral principles; unscrupulous.
• Holding an incorrect religious belief.

Noun

• One who has behaved badly, or illegally.
• One not restrained by moral principles; an unscrupulous villain.
• One who holds a false religious belief; a misbeliever.

Origin

• From Old French mescreant (1080) "mis-believer", present participle of mescreire "to misbelieve" (modern mécroire).