' Malicious ' means intending or intended to do harm. It can refer to comments, rumors, or actions that are spiteful or malevolent, such as 'He made a malicious comment about her appearance.' Synonyms include 'spiteful,' 'vindictive,' and 'malignant.' The adjective ' malicious ' has its etymological origins in the Latin word 'malitiosus,' which evolved from 'malitia,' meaning ' malice ' or 'ill will.' This Latin term is derived from 'malus,' which translates to 'bad' or 'evil.' Therefore, ' malicious ' originally described something or someone with bad intentions or harboring ill will towards others. Malicious means full of, characterized by, or showing malice; intentionally harmful; spiteful. Learn the origin, derived forms, and usage of the word malicious with examples from various sources. There are ten meanings listed in OED's entry for the word malicious , six of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘ Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.
