maleficent
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of maleficent
1670–80; back formation from Latin maleficentia maleficence; see -ent
Explanation
When you're maleficent, you're evil or want to do evil things. So it's safe to say that Satan is one maleficent guy. This word is a bit old-fashioned and you don't hear it often. But there are still plenty of maleficent people in the world — they're the bad guys, the evil-doers, the folks who wish harm on others. Maleficent means something very close to malevolent or diabolical and is a lot stronger than naughty or mischievous.
Vocabulary lists containing maleficent
"The Odyssey" by Homer, Books 1–7
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Even More Negative Words to Describe a Person
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Oh, No! Synonyms for "Bad"
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
“It’s really hard to predict all the maleficent uses,” said Giada Pistilli, principal ethicist at Hugging Face.
From Slate ● Jan. 14, 2023
In “Plymouth Point,” you and your friends must unravel a sprawling, maleficent conspiracy by summoning all your combined wits and the internet’s resources to crack passwords, solve riddles and search social media.
From New York Times ● Mar. 3, 2021
The actor, more often cast as likable and light, makes fairy-tale Flynn maleficent.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2014
We hope they’ll be enlivened by that maleficent spirit, the genius Loki.
From Time ● Nov. 6, 2013
Anyhow, be he maleficent or benign, it was clear that he was Somebody, and had filled the whole country-side with awe.
From Romantic Spain A Record of Personal Experiences (Vol. I) by John Augustus O'Shea
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.
