Definition
Wishing or intending evil toward others; characterized by harmful, hostile, or cruel intent. A malevolent person or force actively seeks to cause harm or damage.
Example Usage
The malevolent dictator ruled through fear and intimidation, crushing any opposition to his regime.
Origin
From Latin 'malevolens' (wishing ill), composed of 'male' (badly) and 'volens' (wishing, from velle, to wish).
Fun Fact
The opposite term, 'benevolent,' shares the same Latin root structure but uses 'bene' (well) instead, creating a perfect linguistic mirror.
Source: Definition backfill (hailey)
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