malign
English
Etymology
From Middle English maligne, from Old French maligne, from Latin malignus, from malus (“bad”) + genus (“sort, kind”). Compare benign.
Pronunciation
Adjective
malign (comparative more malign, superlative most malign)
- Evil or malignant in disposition, nature, intent or influence.
- 1627 (indicated as 1626), Francis [Bacon], “(please specify the page, or |century=I to X)”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], London: […] William Rawley […]; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], →OCLC:
- Witchcraft may be by operation of malign spirits.
- 1951 February, Cecil J. Allen, “British Locomotive Practice and Performance”, in Railway Magazine, page 119:
- It may be true that such running is exceptional rather than normal; there are still innumerable checks of one kind or another, many of them, alas, directly or indirectly the result of engine failures; and bad coal has often a malign influence.
- Malevolent.
- 1891, Ambrose Bierce, An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge:
- He was sure they [the stars] were arranged in some order which had a secret and malign significance.
- (oncology) Malignant.
- a malign ulcer
- 1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Seditions and Troubles”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, →OCLC:
- malign ulcers
Antonyms
Related terms
Translations
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Verb
malign (third-person singular simple present maligns, present participle maligning, simple past and past participle maligned)
- (transitive) To make defamatory statements about; to slander or traduce.
- 2018 November 18, Phil McNulty, “England 2 - 1 Croatia”, in BBC Sport[1]:
- The obvious joy of England's players and supporters after that dramatic finale was another indicator that the Uefa Nations League, mocked and maligned at its inception, is capturing the public's imagination.
- 1692–1717, Robert South, Twelve Sermons Preached upon Several Occasions, volumes (please specify |volume=I to VI), London:
- To be envied and shot at; to be maligned standing, and to be despised falling.
- (transitive, archaic) To treat with malice; to show hatred toward; to abuse; to wrong.
- 1596 (date written; published 1633), Edmund Spenser, A Vewe of the Present State of Irelande […], Dublin: […] Societie of Stationers, […], →OCLC; republished as A View of the State of Ireland […] (Ancient Irish Histories), Dublin: […] Society of Stationers, […] Hibernia Press, […] [b]y John Morrison, 1809, →OCLC:
- The people practice what mischiefs and villainies they will against private men, whom they malign by stealing their goods, or murdering them.
Synonyms
- See also Thesaurus:defame
Translations
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Anagrams
Middle English
Adjective
malign
- Alternative form of maligne
Norwegian Bokmål
Etymology
Adjective
malign (masculine and feminine malign, neuter malignt, definite singular and plural maligne)
References
Norwegian Nynorsk
Etymology
Adjective
malign (neuter malignt, definite singular and plural maligne)
Romanian
Alternative forms
Adjective
malign m or n (feminine singular malignă, masculine plural maligni, feminine and neuter plural maligne)
Declension
singular | plural | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
masculine | neuter | feminine | masculine | neuter | feminine | ||
nominative/ accusative |
indefinite | malign | malignă | maligni | maligne | ||
definite | malignul | maligna | malignii | malignele | |||
genitive/ dative |
indefinite | malign | maligne | maligni | maligne | ||
definite | malignului | malignei | malignilor | malignelor |
Swedish
Adjective
malign (not comparable)
Declension
Inflection of malign | |||
---|---|---|---|
Indefinite | Positive | Comparative | Superlative2 |
Common singular | malign | — | — |
Neuter singular | malignt | — | — |
Plural | maligna | — | — |
Masculine plural3 | maligne | — | — |
Definite | Positive | Comparative | Superlative |
Masculine singular1 | maligne | — | — |
All | maligna | — | — |
1) Only used, optionally, to refer to things whose natural gender is masculine. 2) The indefinite superlative forms are only used in the predicative. 3) Dated or archaic |
References
- English terms inherited from Middle English
- English terms derived from Middle English
- English terms derived from Old French
- English terms derived from Latin
- English 2-syllable words
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- Rhymes:English/aɪn
- Rhymes:English/aɪn/2 syllables
- English lemmas
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- en:Oncology
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- English verbs
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- Middle English lemmas
- Middle English adjectives
- Norwegian Bokmål terms derived from Latin
- Norwegian Bokmål lemmas
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- nb:Medicine
- Norwegian Nynorsk terms derived from Latin
- Norwegian Nynorsk lemmas
- Norwegian Nynorsk adjectives
- nn:Medicine
- Romanian lemmas
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- ro:Medicine
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- sv:Medicine
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