/meuh lig"neuhn see/ , n. , pl. malignancies for 2, 3.
1. the quality or condition of being malignant.
2. malignant character, behavior, action, or the like: the malignancies of war.
3. a malignant tumor.
Also, malignance (for defs. 1, 2).
[ 1595-1605; MALIGN(ANT) + -ANCY ]