adjective full of, characterized by, or showing malice ; intentionally harmful; spiteful: malicious gossip. Law vicious, wanton, or mischievous in motivation or purpose.
Origin of malicious 1175–1225; Middle English malicius <
Old French <
Latin malitiōsus. See
malice ,
-ous Related forms ma·li·cious·ly , adverb ma·li·cious·ness , noun non·ma·li·cious , adjective non·ma·li·cious·ly , adverb non·ma·li·cious·ness , noun sem·i·ma·li·cious , adjective sem·i·ma·li·cious·ly , adverb sem·i·ma·li·cious·ness , noun un·ma·li·cious , adjective un·ma·li·cious·ly , adverb Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Related Words for maliciousness spite ,
malignity ,
enmity ,
hostility ,
indignity ,
malice ,
evil ,
spitefulness ,
hatred ,
hate ,
meanness British Dictionary definitions for maliciousness adjective characterized by malice
motivated by wrongful, vicious, or mischievous purposes
Show More
Derived Forms maliciously , adverb maliciousness , 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
Word Origin and History for maliciousness adj. early 13c., from Old French malicios "showing ill will, spiteful, wicked" (Modern French malicieux ), from Latin malitiosus "wicked, malicious," from malitia "badness, ill will, spite," from malus "bad" (see mal- ). In legal use (early 14c., Anglo-French), it means "characterized by malice prepense ."
Show More
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
