malicious
UK: məˈlɪʃəs | US: məˈlɪʃəs
adj. having or showing a desire to cause harm to others
adj. characterized by malice or spite
malicious = mal<bad> + ic<adjective suffix> + ious<adjective suffix>
- mal (from Latin malus, meaning "bad" or "evil")
- ic (a suffix forming adjectives, often from nouns, e.g., "heroic")
- ious (another adjective suffix, indicating "full of" or "characterized by," e.g., "gracious")
Etymology Origin:
The word "malicious" traces back to Latin malitia (evil intent), derived from malus (bad). Over time, the suffix -ious was added in Old French (malicieux), emphasizing a quality of being "full of malice." The modern English form preserves this structure, combining "mal-" (bad) with adjectival suffixes to convey intentional harmfulness.
The hacker launched a malicious attack on the company’s database.
Her malicious gossip ruined his reputation.
The software detected a malicious virus in the system.
He gave her a malicious smile before spreading the rumor.
Laws exist to punish malicious acts against individuals or property.