# malevolent

> English word · Adjective · IPA /məˈlɛvələnt/ · frequency rank #32,068

## Definitions
1. Having or displaying ill will; wishing harm on others.
2. Having an evil or harmful influence.

## Etymology
From Middle English *malevolent (suggested by Middle English malevolence), from Old French malivolent and Latin malevolentem, from male (“badly, wrongly”) + volens (“willing, wishing”), from velle (“to wish”).

## Common misspellings (15)
`amlevolent`, `maelvolent`, `maleovlent`, `malevloent`, `malevoelnt`, `malevolennt`, `malevolentt`, `malevoletn`, `malevollent`, `malevolnet`, `malevvolent`, `mallevolent`, `malveolent`, `mlaevolent`, `mmalevolent`

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