Definition of: malicious

(mə·lish′əs) adjective
1. Harboring malice, ill will, or enmity; spiteful.
2. Resulting from or prompted by malice. [<OF malicios <L malitiosus <malitia MALICE]
—ma·li′·cious·ly adverb
—ma·li′cious·ness noun Synonyms: bitter, evil–disposed, evil–minded, hostile, ill–disposed, ill–natured, invidious, malevolent, malign, malignant, mischievous, rancorous, resentful, spiteful, venomous, virulent. The malevolent person wishes ill to another; the malicious person has the desire and intent to do evil, if possible, to another. The malign or malignant spirit has a deep, intense, and insatiable hostility, such as is indicated by rancorous or venomous, with or without active desire or intent to injure. Spiteful is a feeble word indicating the desire or intent to inflict petty, exasperating annoyance or injury. Compare ACRIMONY, BITTER, ENMITY, HATRED. Antonyms: amiable, amicable, beneficent, benevolent, benign, benignant, friendly, good–natured, kind, kind–hearted, kindly, sympathetic, tender, well–disposed.