Word
maleficent
Phoneticsmalef·i·cent
Definition
adj. describing someone or something that is very harmful, cruel, or evil. You use this to talk about people who do bad things on purpose or things that cause a lot of damage.
adj. causing harm, evil, or suffering; wicked. Often used to describe individuals with malicious intent or forces that produce significant negative consequences.
Examples
“The movie features a maleficent villain who wants to destroy the world.”
“The storm was so maleficent that it caused widespread damage to the coastal towns within hours.”
“The novel explores the maleficent nature of the protagonist, whose calculated manipulation of those around him leads to a series of tragic and irreversible consequences.”
Examples
simple
“The movie features a maleficent villain who wants to destroy the world.”
contextual
“The storm was so maleficent that it caused widespread damage to the coastal towns within hours.”
complex
“The novel explores the maleficent nature of the protagonist, whose calculated manipulation of those around him leads to a series of tragic and irreversible consequences.”
Etymology
Latin *maleficēns, from male (“bad”) + -ficēns, combining form from faciēns, present participle of faciō (“to make or do”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
The word in film
Maleficent · 2014 · Fantasy
- Directed by:
- Robert Stromberg
- Starring:
- Elle Fanning, Imelda Staunton, Miranda Richardson
Angelina Jolie stars in this fantasy film as a powerful fairy who places a dark curse on a young princess. The title describes her character's cruel actions as she seeks revenge against the king who betrayed her.