malign

English

Etymology

Via French from Latin malignus, from malus (bad) + genus (sort, kind). Compare benign.

Pronunciation

• enPR: mə-līn', IPA: /məˈlaɪn/, X-SAMPA: /m@"laIn/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Adjective

malign (comparative more malign, superlative most malign)

1. evil or malignant in disposition, nature, intent or influence.
2. 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.

Related terms

• malignant

Antonyms

• benign

Translations

evil or malignant

• Finnish: paha (fi)
• German: unheilvoll (de)

• Portuguese: maligno (pt) m

malevolent

• Finnish: pahantahtoinen (fi)

• German: böse, übelwollend

Verb

malign (third-person singular simple present maligns, present participle maligning, simple past and past participle maligned)

1. (transitive) To make defamatory statements about; to slander or traduce.
   • South

     To be envied and shot at; to be maligned standing, and to be despised falling.

2. (transitive, archaic) To treat with malice; to show hatred toward; to abuse; to wrong.
   • Spenser

     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 Wikisaurus:defame

Anagrams

• laming
• lingam