Skip to the word

Added 6 October 2026

malignant

/məˈlɪɡnənt/ adjective

Latin root: malignans Wiktionary

adjective Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about malignant at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Harmful, malevolent, injurious.
malignant temper; malignant revenge; malignant infection
Tending to produce death; threatening a fatal issue.
malignant diphtheria

noun

A deviant; a person who is hostile or destructive to society.
A person who fought for Charles I in the English Civil War.

Origin

From Middle French malignant, from Late Latin malignans. See malign.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

Back to today's word