adj
mischievous
MIHS-chih-vuhs
adj
1
Fond of playful teasing or harmless pranks.
"Her mischievous younger brother swapped the salt for sugar."
"The kitten gave a mischievous swipe at the dangling ribbon."
How to Use Mischievous
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishPlayfully naughty, enjoying harmless pranks.
Common mistake
Often mispronounced/misspelled as "mischievious" — there is no extra "i" before -ous.
Common pairings
a mischievous smile
mischievous behaviour
mischievous child
Word Forms
more mischievous comparative, most mischievous superlative
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Her _____ younger brother swapped the salt for sugar.
Etymology
From Middle English mischevous, from Old French meschever ("to come to a bad end"), from mes- ("mis-") + chever ("to finish," from chef, "head").