early 14c., from O.Fr. malign "having an evil nature," from L. malignus "wicked, bad-natured," from male "badly" + -gnus "born," from gignere "to bear, beget," from PIE base *gn- "to bear" (see genus).
malign
"to slander," 1640s, from earlier more literal sense of "to plot, to contrive" (early 15c.), from O.Fr. malignier, from L. malignare "to do maliciously," from malignus (see malign (adj.)). Related: Maligned; maligning.