noun
vice
vys
noun
1
An immoral or bad habit; a minor personal failing or indulgence.
"Chocolate is her one guilty vice."
"Gambling became his ruinous vice."
prep
1
In place of; instead of — used to indicate a substitute or successor.
"She was appointed treasurer vice the outgoing officer."
How to Use Vice
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA bad habit or moral failing, or (in formal usage) a preposition meaning "instead of."
Common mistake
Don't confuse with the "vice-" prefix in titles like vice president, which is a different, unrelated use of the same Latin root.
Common pairings
a minor vice
vices and virtues
Word Forms
vices plural, Vices plural
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Etymology
The "bad habit" sense comes from Latin vitium, "fault," while the "instead of" sense comes from Latin vice, the ablative form of vicis, "turn, change."