malefic en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- /məˈlɛfɪk/
- (Southern-England) audio
Etymology
From Latin maleficus.
Meanings
-
Having an evil or harmful influence; baleful.
Wormwood [...] was associated with the rites of St. John's Eve, when a crown of the plant was made from its sprays for apotropaic purposes, to ward of malefic spirits.
1961, Harry E. Wedeck, Dictionary of Aphrodisiacs, New York: The Citadel Press, page 1:I would have liked to know whether he thought this was due to the climate, the diet, or simply malefic djinns.
1974, Lawrence Durrell, Monsieur, Faber & Faber, published 1992, page 96:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| more malefic | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic | |
| most malefic | Degree=Sup | lexicographic |
Deriveds
Synonyms
despicable · reprehensible · wrong · baleful · ungodly · malevolent · villainous · baneful · malevolent · reprobate · ill-intentioned · maleficent · satanic · nidering · harmful · sullen · dark · scurrilous · black-hearted · heinous · malefic · flagitious · deleterious · evil · evil-minded · peccaminous · arrant · iniquitous · diabolical · evil · abandoned · vile · immoral · bad · nefarious · scathful · detrimental · incorrigible · demonic · depraved · malign · unholy · knavish · no-good · niding · maleficent · naughty · sinful · base · niddering · bad apple · nithing · iniquous · sinister · malicious · malignant · vicious · injurious · sordid · wicked · pernicious · facinorous · ill-natured · devilish · bad seed