malicious

[ muh-lish-uh s ]
/ məˈlɪʃ əs /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR malicious ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

full of, characterized by, or showing malice; intentionally harmful; spiteful: malicious gossip.
Law. vicious, wanton, or mischievous in motivation or purpose.

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Origin of malicious

1175–1225; Middle English malicius < Old French < Latin malitiōsus. See malice, -ous

OTHER WORDS FROM malicious

Words nearby malicious

malibu board, malic, malic acid, malice, malice aforethought, malicious, malicious mischief, malign, malignancy, malignant, malignant anemia
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to maliciously

wickedly, savagely, brutally, ferociously, acerbically, acrimoniously, bitingly, caustically, sneeringly, immorally, wrongly, cruelly, ruthlessly, venomously, treacherously, unscrupulously, basely, crookedly, malevolently, perfidiously

British Dictionary definitions for maliciously

malicious
/ (məˈlɪʃəs) /

adjective

characterized by malice
motivated by wrongful, vicious, or mischievous purposes

Derived forms of malicious

maliciously, adverbmaliciousness, noun
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