malefic
Americanadjective
Etymology
Origin of malefic
First recorded in 1645–55, malefic is from the Latin word maleficus evil-doing, wicked. See male-, -fic
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Giancarlo Esposito plays Beauty’s malefic father and Niecy Nash is her vocally exacting mother.
From New York Times • Jun. 30, 2022
In The Wild Bunch he played a punk gunslinger and in Three Amigos! the malefic El Guapo, who spits out the immortal line "A plethora of pinatas!"
From Time Magazine Archive
The '90s version, from the fetid, fertile brain of horror bard Clive Barker, is a malefic beastie who preys on those foolhardy enough to say his name five times.
From Time Magazine Archive
In Poltergeist, Carol Anne talks to "the TV people," and they talk back; they even play with her, to malefic effect.
From Time Magazine Archive
Like a malefic kitten with a ball of string, she would tangle his emotions until he lost all distinction between love and hate, joy and sorrow.
From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
