malicious
adj/məˈlɪʃəs/
Etymology From Middle English malicious, from Old French malicios, from Latin malitiōsus, from malitia (“malice”), from malus (“bad”). Displaced native Middle English ivelwilled and ivelwilly (“malicious”), related to Old English yfelwillende (literally “evil-willing”). By surface analysis, malice + -ious.
1
Intending to do harm; characterized by spite and malice.
- He was sent off for a malicious tackle on Jones.
- And novv, if you are a Malitious Reader, I expect you ſhould return upon me, that I affect to be thought more Impartial than I am.1681, [John Dryden], “To the Reader”, in Absalom and Achitophel. A Poem, London: […] J[acob] T[onson] and are to be sold by W. Davis […], →OCLC:
1 more example
- They gathered soberly in the farthest recess of the ward and gossiped about him in malicious, offended undertones, rebelling against his presence as a ghastly imposition and resenting him malevolently for the nauseating truth of which he was bright reminder.1961 November 10, Joseph Heller, “The Soldier in White”, in Catch-22 […], New York, N.Y.: Simon and Schuster, →OCLC, page 169: