WordWeight : Weighing the Words

Pronunciation : Ma*li"cious
Part of Speech : a.
Etymology : [Of. malicius, F. malicieux, fr. L. malitiosus. See Malice.]
Definition : 1. Indulging or exercising malice; harboring ill will or enmity. I grant him bloody, . . . Sudden, malicious, smacking of every sin That has a name. Shak.

2. Proceeding from hatred or ill will; dictated by malice; as, a malicious report; malicious mischief.

3. (Law)

Defn: With wicked or mischievous intentions or motives; wrongful and done intentionally without just cause or excuse; as, a malicious act. Malicious abandonment, the desertion of a wife or husband without just cause. Burrill. -- Malicious mischief (Law), malicious injury to the property of another; -- an offense at common law. Wharton. -- Malicious prosecution or arrest (Law), a wanton prosecution or arrest, by regular process in a civil or criminal proceeding, without probable cause. Bouvier.

Syn. -- Ill-disposed; evil-minded; mischievous; envious; malevolent; invidious; spiteful; bitter; malignant; rancorous; malign. -- Ma*li"cious*ly, adv. -- Ma*li"cious*ness, n.
Source : Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913