peius

Peius is a Latin adverb meaning "worse" or "more badly." It serves as the comparative form of malus in adverbial usage and is used to express a higher degree of badness or harmfulness in action, condition, or description. In English, it is typically rendered as "worse."

In grammar, peius is invariable and functions primarily to modify verbs, indicating that an action or state is performed in a worse manner or to a greater extent of badness. It can appear in constructions with quam to form comparisons, such as peius quam, meaning "worse than." While the adverb peius is common, the related adjectival comparative peior (from malus) is used when comparing nouns directly.

Usage example: peius fecit = he did worse; res peius est = the situation is worse; peius quam antea = worse than before. These examples illustrate peius as a straightforward way to intensify negative assessment of an action or state.

Etymology and relation to other forms: peius derives from the Latin adjective malus, with the adverbial comparative form peius. The corresponding adjectival comparative is peior (worse), used with nouns, whereas peius mainly serves the verb/adverbial domain. The antonymous adverb is melius, the adverbial form of bonus, meaning "better."

In classical Latin, peius appears in ordinary narrative and rhetoric to express deterioration or increased harm, and it remains the standard adverbial form for “worse” in that language. See also malus, bonus, and the comparative forms peior and melius.