Meanings
nounmaliciousness (countable and uncountable, plural maliciousnesses)
plural maliciousnesses
- countableuncountableThe condition of being malicious; malevolence or malice.
The maliciousness of this gossip is directly proportional to the distance from the casket and the bereaved.
2011, Shehan Karunatilaka, Chinaman: The Legend of Pradeep Mathew, Jonathan Cape, page 252
Synonyms & antonyms
nounfeeling a need to see others suffer
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Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Middle Englishmaliciousnes
- Englishmaliciousness
From Middle English maliciousnes; equivalent to malicious + -ness.
More words from Middle English
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
maliciousness. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/maliciousness
MLA
“maliciousness.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/maliciousness. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “maliciousness,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/maliciousness.
Source: maliciousness on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.