Word
malignant
Phoneticsma·lig·nant, stress on the second syllable
US/məˈɫɪɡnənt/
UK/məlˈɪɡnənt/
Definitions
01cancerous
C1 · Advanced Medicine Technical
adj. used to describe a tumour or disease that is cancerous and can spread to other parts of the body.
adj. referring to a tumour that is invasive, tends to metastasize, and is likely to cause death if not treated.
“The doctors were relieved to find that the growth was not malignant.”
“Biopsy results confirmed that the cells were malignant, necessitating an immediate and aggressive course of chemotherapy to prevent further spread.”
Antonyms
02evil or harmful
C2 · Proficiency Literary · Formal
adj. having a strong wish to do harm or cause suffering to others.
adj. characterised by intense ill will or a desire to cause deliberate harm; malevolent in nature.
“The villain in the story had a malignant influence on everyone he met.”
“The dictator's malignant presence was felt throughout the country, as his policies slowly dismantled the foundations of civil society.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
03a harmful person
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Archaic · Formal
n. a person who is seen as dangerous or destructive to society.
n. a person who is persistently hostile to a government or established authority; historically used for supporters of the king during the English Civil War.
“The old records described the rebels as dangerous malignants.”
“Parliamentary forces sought to identify and punish the malignants who had remained loyal to the crown during the uprising.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
Usage
Often used predicatively after a linking verb like 'be' or 'become' in medical contexts.
Real-World Examples
“She was diagnosed with a fibrosarcoma – a malignant tumour – in her jaw, which was removed with surgery but later returned and began to invade her jawbone.” “A benign but invasive canine oral cancer is often mistaken for a similar malignant one, leading to misdiagnoses in close to a third of cases.” Etymology
From Middle French malignant, from Late Latin malignans. See malign.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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