Origin: Latin suffix -ous
Malicious has 2 different meanings across 1 category:
having the nature of or resulting from malice
"malicious gossip"
"took malicious pleasure in...watching me wince"
Of, pertaining to, or as a result of malice or spite
"The malicious rumor spread quickly through the school because it was intended purely out of spite."
In plain English: Malicious means having an evil intention to hurt someone on purpose.
"The hacker launched a malicious attack on the company's server to steal user data."
Usage: Use malicious to describe actions or words driven by deliberate intent to harm rather than simple negligence. This word applies specifically when someone acts out of spite, distinguishing it from accidental mistakes or unintentional rudeness.
The word malicious entered English in the 14th century from Old French and Latin, originally describing someone who was bad or evil at heart. It eventually replaced native Middle English terms like ivelwilled to describe a person acting with spiteful intent.