MALICIOUS

malicious

(adjective) having the nature of or resulting from malice; “malicious gossip”; “took malicious pleasure in...watching me wince”- Rudyard Kipling

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Adjective

malicious (comparative more malicious, superlative most malicious)

Of, pertaining to, or as a result of malice or spite

spiteful and deliberately harmful

Synonyms

• malevolent

• evil

• See also evil

Source: Wiktionary


Ma*li"cious, a. Etym: [Of. malicius, F. malicieux, fr. L. malitiosus. See Malice.]

1. Indulging or exercising malice; harboring ill will or enmity. I grant him bloody, . . . Sudden, malicious, smacking of every sin That has a name. Shak.

2. Proceeding from hatred or ill will; dictated by malice; as, a malicious report; malicious mischief.

3. (Law)

Definition: With wicked or mischievous intentions or motives; wrongful and done intentionally without just cause or excuse; as, a malicious act. Malicious abandonment, the desertion of a wife or husband without just cause. Burrill.

– Malicious mischief (Law), malicious injury to the property of another; -- an offense at common law. Wharton.

– Malicious prosecution or arrest (Law), a wanton prosecution or arrest, by regular process in a civil or criminal proceeding, without probable cause. Bouvier.

Syn.

– Ill-disposed; evil-minded; mischievous; envious; malevolent; invidious; spiteful; bitter; malignant; rancorous; malign.

– Ma*li"cious*ly, adv.

– Ma*li"cious*ness, n.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

16 May 2025

AMPHIPROSTYLAR

(adjective) marked by columniation having free columns in porticoes either at both ends or at both sides of a structure


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