The Hebrew noun avil (עֲוִיל) refers to an evil, perverse, or wicked person — particularly one whose character is fundamentally corrupt. It appears in wisdom literature and describes someone whose choices and values are bent toward wickedness.
The term highlights the contrast between the righteous person and one who is inherently bent toward evil. Wisdom theology consistently observes that the avil's path leads to destruction, not because God arbitrarily punishes, but because wickedness is self-destructive. This contrast drives much of Psalms and Proverbs.