# malign

> English word · Adjective · IPA /məˈlaɪn/ · frequency rank #47,740

## Definitions
1. Evil or malignant in disposition, nature, intent or influence.
2. Malevolent.
3. Malignant.

## Etymology
From Middle English maligne, from Old French maligne, from Latin malignus, from malus (“bad”) + genus (“sort, kind”). Compare benign.

## Easily confused with
- **Malik** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/malign-vs-malik)
- **Marin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/malign-vs-marin)
- **Malin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/malign-vs-malin)
- **Marion** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/malign-vs-marion)
- **Marian** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/malign-vs-marian)
- **marlin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/malign-vs-marlin)
- **malkin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/malign-vs-malkin)
- **main** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/main-vs-malign)
- **Mali** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mali-vs-malign)
- **Malia** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/malia-vs-malign)
- **malibu** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/malibu-vs-malign)
- **malice** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/malice-vs-malign)
- **Malaga** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/malaga-vs-malign)
- **Malian** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/malian-vs-malign)
- **Malden** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/malden-vs-malign)
- **Madigan** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/madigan-vs-malign)

## Common misspellings (9)
`amlign`, `mailgn`, `malgin`, `maliggn`, `malignn`, `maling`, `mallign`, `mlaign`, `mmalign`

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