malign

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English

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Etymology

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From Middle English maligne, from Old French maligne, from Latin malignus, from malus (bad) + genus (sort, kind). Compare benign.

Pronunciation

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  • enPR: mə-līn', IPA(key): /məˈlaɪn/
  • Audio (US):(file)
  • Rhymes: -aɪn

Adjective

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malign (comparative more malign, superlative most malign)

  1. 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.
  2. Malevolent.
  3. (oncology) Malignant.
    a malign ulcer

Antonyms

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Translations

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Verb

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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.
    • 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.
  2. (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

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Translations

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Anagrams

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Middle English

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Adjective

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malign

  1. Alternative form of maligne

Norwegian Bokmål

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Etymology

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From Latin malignus.

Adjective

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malign (masculine and feminine malign, neuter malignt, definite singular and plural maligne)

  1. (medicine) malignant

References

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Norwegian Nynorsk

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Etymology

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From Latin malignus.

Adjective

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malign (neuter malignt, definite singular and plural maligne)

  1. (medicine) malignant

Romanian

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Alternative forms

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Adjective

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malign m or n (feminine singular malignă, masculine plural maligni, feminine and neuter plural maligne)

  1. (medicine) malign
    Antonym: benign
  2. (rare, dated) evil
    Synonym: răutăcios

Declension

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Swedish

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Adjective

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malign (not comparable)

  1. (medicine) malignant
    Synonym: elakartad
    Antonyms: benign, godartad
    malignt melanom
    malignant melanoma

Declension

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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

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