2. Though nowadays the word "villain" is often used to denote an antagonist in films or literary works, what much tamer meaning did it originally have?
From Quiz Villainously Yours
Answer:
farmhand
The word "villain" originally meant someone who worked on the soil of a "villa" (a large farmhouse in Roman times), called "villanus" in Late Latin. The Old French "vilain" became "villein" in English - denoting someone who was not a knight, therefore lacking both the manners and the ethics of chivalry. Not surprisingly, in English "villain" became a term of abuse, and eventually became synonymous with a wicked, unprincipled person (a meaning that also exists in Spanish). On the other hand, in French "vilain" has come to mean ugly or nasty, while the Italian "villano" means rude or boorish - which bears some relation to the word's original meaning.
In works of fiction, the villain is a stock character whose evil motives or actions are important for the development of the plot. William Shakespeare's plays are famous for their memorable villains, such as Iago in "Othello", or Richard III in the play of the same name.
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