malevolence

C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes

US /məˈlɛvələns/ UK /məˈlɛvələns/ See IPA manual

noun

Meanings

1

noun
the wish to do evil or harm to others; ill will

There was real malevolence in his cold stare.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the wish to do evil or harm... malice spite malignity hostilityrancorill willvenom

Opposites

benevolence goodwill kindness charity

Word family

Related forms malevolent benevolence malice

Etymology

From Latin malevolentia ('ill will'), from malevolens ('wishing evil'), from male ('badly') + volens ('wishing'), present participle of velle ('to wish').

malevolentia Latin male Middle English velle Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes Word Formation & Derivatives

# malevolence

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

## Meanings
1. the wish to do evil or harm to others; ill will

## Examples
- There was real malevolence in his cold stare.

## Synonyms
- malice
- spite
- malignity
- hostility
- rancor
- ill will
- venom

## Antonyms
- benevolence
- goodwill
- kindness
- charity

## Related Forms
- malevolent
- benevolence
- malice

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: malevolentia
- Root: male
- Root: velle

## Etymology
From Latin malevolentia ('ill will'), from malevolens ('wishing evil'), from male ('badly') + volens ('wishing'), present participle of velle ('to wish').

## AI Etymology
Malevolence comes from Latin malevolentia ('ill will'), from malevolens ('wishing evil'), from male ('badly') + volens ('wishing'), present participle of velle ('to wish'). The etymological trail includes Latin malevolentia, Latin male, Latin velle. The same word family includes malevolent, benevolence, malice. Its current noun use means "the wish to do evil or harm to others; ill will".

## Topics
- Actions & Processes
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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malevolence

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