malevolence · noun — hostile attitude or feeling. It carries an Arena rating of 1680, earned across 48 head-to-head judged battles.
Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, malevolence ranks #1,661 of 17,172 for Scariest Words, #1,729 of 17,188 for Most Malleable Words, #1,831 of 17,131 for Most Ponderous Words, #3,131 of 17,188 for Words That Escaped Their Books.
malevolence is pronounced /məˈlɛvələns/.
Why “malevolence” is a great word
MALEVOLENCE — [Noun] The condition or quality of harboring a settled, hostile ill will and wishing evil upon others. From Middle French malevolence, from Latin malevolentia ("ill will"), from malevolēns ("malevolent"), from male ("badly") + volēns, present participle of velle ("to wish, will"). First recorded in English in the mid-15th century. Unlike "malice," which implies an active intent to injure, or "rancor," which denotes a bitter and lasting resentment, malevolence is a colder, more atmospheric ill will—the patient architecture of a heart that has chosen darkness. It is the unblinking gaze from a darkened window, the meticulous omission of a name from an invitation list, and the quiet, savoring smile at news of a rival's stumble. To will evil is to cultivate a permanent frost within the soul.
❧ Essay by Lexicurio’s AI · definition, etymology & citations from published sources
Etymology
From Middle French malevolence, from Latin malevolentia (“malevolence”), derived from malevolēns (“malevolent”).
noun
- Hostile attitude or feeling.e.g.“to show someone malevolence”
- Behavior exhibiting a hostile attitude.
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Words closest in meaning
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