Someone who is diabolical or deceitful can be called a scoundrel.
To begin we have to know the etymological origin of the term villain . In this case we can determine that it is a word about which different theories are established in that sense:
-The one that states that it comes from the Celtic “bakkallakos”, which can be translated as “shepherd”.
-The one that comes to determine that it derives from the Basque “vilhakatu”, which is synonymous with “pulling the hair”.
-The one that indicates that it comes from the Latin “bellum”, which can be translated as “battle”.
Concept of scoundrel
The term scoundrel can be used to describe someone who is mean, sneaky, devious, evil or diabolical . The adjective , therefore, has a negative connotation. For example: “Representative Cruz is a scoundrel who should not be part of this parliament,” “I don't understand why you lie like a scoundrel, I have always been honest with you,” “That man is acting like a scoundrel: someone should stop him.” ” .
While in some Spanish-speaking countries the concept is frequently used, in others its use is strange. Generally the notion is used when one intends to attack or disqualify someone .
In addition to all of the above, we cannot ignore the existence of a very common phrase in colloquial language that uses the term we are analyzing. We mean “lying like a scoundrel.” It is used to mean that someone is lying in a really clever way and without even feeling any shame about it.
A scoundrel acts with evil or meanness.
An example
Suppose a billionaire businessman decides to enter the political arena. The tycoon invests a fortune in his campaign and appears to be a rude and aggressive leader against minorities.
That is why many people begin to call him a villain : his opinions are not valued, while his proposals are harshly criticized by the majority of the population.
Villaco as sagacious, cunning or brave
Bellaco, on the other hand, can be an individual who acts with sagacity or cunning : “The scoundrel detective soon found a reddish hair just above the victim's bed,” “He is a very skillful and scoundrel player, at the same time.” which is very difficult to defend."
Of course, we cannot ignore that, for example, the Anaya Language Dictionary determines that in countries such as Panama or Ecuador, for example, the term villain is used as a synonym for brave .
A Uruguayan town
In the Uruguayan department of Río Negro there is a town called Bellaco , which has less than three hundred inhabitants.
The town, whose main economic support is forestry activities, takes its name from the Bellaco stream , which runs for about 26 kilometers and is part of the Río de la Plata hydrographic basin.