malevolent

[ muh-lev-uh-luhnt ]
See synonyms for: malevolentmalevolently on Thesaurus.com

adjective
  1. wishing evil or harm to another or others; showing ill will; ill-disposed; malicious: His failures made him malevolent toward those who were successful.

  2. evil; harmful; injurious: a malevolent inclination to destroy the happiness of others.

  1. Astrology. evil or malign in influence.

Origin of malevolent

1
First recorded in 1500–10; from Latin malevolent-, stem of malevolēns “ill-disposed, spiteful,” from male- male- + volēns “wanting” (present participle of velle “to want, wish for, desire”; see also will1)

Other words from malevolent

  • ma·lev·o·lent·ly, adverb
  • un·ma·lev·o·lent, adjective
  • un·ma·lev·o·lent·ly, adverb

Words that may be confused with malevolent

Words Nearby malevolent

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use malevolent in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for malevolent

malevolent

/ (məˈlɛvələnt) /


adjective
  1. wishing or appearing to wish evil to others; malicious

  2. astrology having an evil influence

Origin of malevolent

1
C16: from Latin malevolens, from male ill + volens, present participle of velle to wish

Derived forms of malevolent

  • malevolence, noun
  • malevolently, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012