adj.
Pronunciation: m ə - ' lig-n ə nt
Function: adjective
Etymology: Late Latin malignant-, malignans, present participle of malignari
Date: circa 1545
1 a obsolete : MALCONTENT , DISAFFECTED b : evil in nature, influence, or effect : INJURIOUS c : passionately and relentlessly malevolent : aggressively malicious
2 : tending to produce death or deterioration < malignant malaria> especially : tending to infiltrate, metastasize, and terminate fatally <a malignant tumor>
– ma · lig · nant · ly adverb