# malevolence

> English word · Noun · IPA /məˈlɛvələns/ · frequency rank #64,514

## Definitions
1. Hostile attitude or feeling.
2. Behavior exhibiting a hostile attitude.

## Etymology
From Middle French malevolence, from Latin malevolentia (“malevolence”), derived from malevolēns (“malevolent”).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/malevolence