maleficent

UK: /məˈlɛfɪsənt/ US: (mə lef′ə sənt)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

ma•lef•i•cent  (mə lef′ə sənt), adj. 

1. doing evil or harm;
   harmfully malicious:
   maleficent destroyers of reputations.

• 1670–80; back formation from Latin maleficentia maleficence; see -ent

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

maleficent / məˈlɛfɪsənt/ adjective

1. causing or capable of producing evil or mischief; harmful or baleful

Etymology: 17th Century: from Latin maleficent-, from maleficus wicked, prone to evil, from malum evil

maˈlefic adjective

maˈlefically adverb

maˈleficence noun