malice

[ mal-is ]
/ ˈmæl ɪs /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR malice ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

desire to inflict injury, harm, or suffering on another, either because of a hostile impulse or out of deep-seated meanness: the malice and spite of a lifelong enemy.
Law. evil intent on the part of a person who commits a wrongful act injurious to others.

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Origin of malice

1300–50; Middle English, from Old French, from Latin malitia; see origin at mal-, -ice

synonym study for malice

1. See grudge.

Words nearby malice

Mali, Malibran, Malibu board, malic, malic acid, malice, malice aforethought, malicious, malicious mischief, Mali empire, malign
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to malice

grudge, enmity, hostility, bitterness, resentment, ill will, animus, meanness, antipathy, animosity, rancor, hatred, mordacity, umbrage, spite, malevolence, venom, poison, maliciousness, acerbity

Example sentences from the Web for malice

British Dictionary definitions for malice

malice
/ (ˈmælɪs) /

noun

the desire to do harm or mischief
evil intent
law the state of mind with which an act is committed and from which the intent to do wrong may be inferredSee also malice aforethought

Word Origin for malice

C13: via Old French from Latin malitia, from malus evil
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