mal ‧ e ‧ dic ‧ tion /ˌmæləˈdɪkʃ ə n, ˌmælɪˈdɪkʃ ə n/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Late Latin ; Origin: maledictio , from Latin maledicere 'to speak evil' ]
old-fashioned formal a wish that something bad will happen to someone SYN curse