Malice Meaning
/ˈmælɪs/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounIntention to harm or deprive in an illegal or immoral way. Desire to take pleasure in another's misfortune.
nounAn intention to do injury to another party, which in many jurisdictions is a distinguishing factor between the crimes of murder and manslaughter.
Sentence Examples
There was no malice in what he did.
Ben spread a rumor about me out of malice.
CEFR Practice Quiz
He broke the toy out of pure ____, wanting to upset the child.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
There was no ____ intended in his comment he was simply trying to be helpful and very honest with you.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English malice, borrowed from Old French malice, from Latin malitia (“badness, bad quality, ill-will, spite”), from malus (“bad”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"[…] not only was there no gratitude (which he could psychologically handle) but downright malice showed itself instead."
— 1981, Philip K. Dick, Valis, →ISBN, page 67:
"The question that would have been before the jury was whether Fox committed “actual malice” in airing the claims. That required Dominion to show whether key decision makers were aware the claims were false or acted with reckless disregard for the truth."
— 2023 April 18, Sam Levine, Kira Lerner, “Fox and Dominion settle for US$787.5m in defamation lawsuit over election lies”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
"Thou blinded God (quod I) forgive me this offence, / Unwittingly I went about, to malice thy pretence."
— 1557, Henry Howard, “Complaint of a lover that defied Love and was by Love after the more tormented”, in Songes and Sonettes:
"Who on the other ſide did ſeeme ſo farre / From malicing, or grudging his good houre, / That, all he could, he graced him with her, / Ne euer ſhewed ſigne of rancour or of iarre."
— 1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book VI, Canto IX”, in The Faerie Queene. […], part II (books IV–VI), London: […] [Richard Field] for William Ponsonby, →OCLC, page 477:
"His paines, his pouertie, his ſharpe aſſayes, / Through which he paſt his miſerable dayes, / Offending none, and doing good to all, / Yet being maliſt both of great and ſmall."
— 1596, Edm[und] Spenser, “An Hymne of Heavenly Love”, in Fowre Hymnes, London: […] [Richard Field] for William Ponsonby, →OCLC, page 32:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
He broke the toy out of pure ____, wanting to upset the child.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
There was no ____ intended in his comment he was simply trying to be helpful and very honest with you.