miscreant

Etymology

From Middle English myscreaunt, miscreaunt, from Old French mescreant (1080) "mis-believer", present participle of mescreire "to misbelieve" (modern mécroire).

adj

1. Lacking in conscience or moral principles; unscrupulous.
2. (theology) Holding an incorrect religious belief.

noun

1. One who has behaved badly, or illegally.
   The teacher sent the miscreants to see the school principal.
2. One not restrained by moral principles; an unscrupulous villain.
   A meagre Catchpole hurries me to fail; No Miscreant, so remorseless, ever tore Thy Journals, Fog, or knock'd at Franklin's door a. 1719, Joseph Addison, A Riddle of Dean Swift's verfified
3. (theology) One who holds a false religious belief; a misbeliever.
   Before thine eyes, thou mild and blessed one, said he, half aloud, are these miscreants daring to hold their market, and trafficking in their hellish drugs 1825, Thomas De Quincey, “The Love-charm”, in Quarterly Magazine, Knight