maleficence

maleficence
maleficence (n.) 1590s, from M.Fr. maleficence or directly from L. maleficentia "evildoing, mischievousness, injury," from maleficus "wicked" (see MALEFIC (Cf. malefic)). Now largely displaced by MALFEASANCE (Cf. malfeasance).

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Maleficence — Ma*lef i*cence, n. [L. maleficentia. Cf. {Malfeasance}.] Evil doing, esp. to others. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • maleficence — index vice Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • maleficence — /meuh lef euh seuhns/, n. 1. the doing of evil or harm: the maleficence of thieves. 2. the quality or state of being maleficent or harmful. [1590 1600; < L maleficentia. See MALEFIC, ENCE] * * * …   Universalium

  • maleficence — noun Etymology: Italian maleficenza, from Latin maleficentia, from maleficus Date: 1598 1. a. the act of committing harm or evil b. a harmful or evil act 2. the quality or state of being maleficent …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • maleficence — noun harmfulness or mischief …   Wiktionary

  • maleficence —  , malfeasance  The first means a propensity to cause hurt or harm. The second is a legal term describing wrongdoing …   Bryson’s dictionary for writers and editors

  • maleficence — mÉ™ lefɪsns n. act of doing evil; harmfulness …   English contemporary dictionary

  • maleficence — ma·lef·i·cence …   English syllables

  • maleficence — /məˈlɛfəsəns/ (say muh lefuhsuhns) noun 1. the doing of evil or harm. 2. maleficent or harmful character. {Latin maleficientia} …  

  • maleficence — noun 1. doing or causing evil • Ant: ↑beneficence • Derivationally related forms: ↑maleficent • Hypernyms: ↑malevolence, ↑malignity 2. the quality or nature of being harmful or evil …   Useful english dictionary

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