Words / C1

MAL-is/ˈmælɪs/

Malice is the intention to do harm: with malice, malice aforethought (legal). Harm is the result; spite is smaller and personal; accident is the opposite. Malicious is the adjective. Do not write malice for a clumsy leak if the minute shows no intent.

Meaning

The intention to do harm.

Examples

• “The leak was error, not malice; the minute still had to name the account.”
• “Harm is what happened. Intent is the inner part. Spite is petty. Negligence can wound without malice. A missing n is usually incompetence, not a plot.”

Good to know

Intent to harm. Contrast: accident / negligence. Adjective: malicious. A bungled CSV is not automatically malice.

Near in meaning

harm

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