malediction

C2+ Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /ˌmælɪˈdɪkʃən/ UK /ˌmælɪˈdɪkʃən/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
a curse or the utterance of a curse

The old woman hurled a malediction at the departing soldiers.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a curse or the utterance of... curse imprecation anathema execration damnation

Opposites

benedictionblessing

Word family

Derived forms maledictory

Related forms benedictionmalefactor malevolent

Etymology

From Latin maledictio ('a reviling, abuse'), from maledicere ('to speak ill of, curse'), from male ('badly') + dicere ('to speak, say').

maledictio Latin male Middle English dicere Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Abstract Ideas Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# malediction

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˌmælɪˈdɪkʃən/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌmælɪˈdɪkʃən/

## Meanings
1. a curse or the utterance of a curse

## Examples
- The old woman hurled a malediction at the departing soldiers.

## Synonyms
- curse
- imprecation
- anathema
- execration
- damnation

## Antonyms
- benediction
- blessing

## Derived Forms
- maledictory

## Related Forms
- benediction
- malefactor
- malevolent

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: maledictio
- Root: male
- Root: dicere

## Etymology
From Latin maledictio ('a reviling, abuse'), from maledicere ('to speak ill of, curse'), from male ('badly') + dicere ('to speak, say').

## AI Etymology
Malediction comes from Latin maledictio ('a reviling, abuse'), from maledicere ('to speak ill of, curse'), from male ('badly') + dicere ('to speak, say'). The etymological trail includes Latin maledictio, Latin male, and Latin dicere. As a noun, malediction means a curse or the utterance of a curse. The same family is visible in derived forms such as maledictory and related forms such as benediction, malefactor, and malevolent. Morphologically, the word is built from the elements named in its history, so the modern form preserves a visible compound, prefix, or suffix structure.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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