malicious

[ muh-lish-uhs ]

See synonyms for: malicious maliciously maliciousness 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.

Origin of malicious

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English malicius, from Old French, from Latin malitiōsus; see malice, -ous

Other words from malicious

ma·li·cious·ly, adverb
ma·li·cious·ness, noun
non·ma·li·cious, adjective
non·ma·li·cious·ly, adverb
sem·i·ma·li·cious, adjective
sem·i·ma·li·cious·ly, adverb
un·ma·li·cious, adjective
un·ma·li·cious·ly, adverb

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

British Dictionary definitions for malicious

malicious

/ (məˈlɪʃəs) /

adjective

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

Derived forms of malicious

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

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