different between calumniate vs malign

English

Etymology

From Latin calumni?tus, perfect active participle of calumnior (“I accuse falsely”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /k??l?mni.e?t/

Verb

calumniate (third-person singular simple present calumniates, present participle calumniating, simple past and past participle calumniated)

1. (transitive) To make hurtful untrue comments about.
   • a. 1555, John Hooper, A Brief Treatise respecting Judge Hales

     Hatred unto the truth did always falsely report and calumniate all godly men's doings.

   • 1905, Robert Louis Stevenson, Travels with a Donkey in the Cevennes, chapter 1

     There are adherents of each of the four French parties—Legitimists, Orleanists, Imperialists, and Republicans—in this little mountain-town; and they all hate, loathe, decry, and calumniate each other.

2. (transitive) To levy a false charge against, especially of a vague offense, with the intent to damage someone's reputation or standing.

Synonyms

• (to make hurtful untrue statements): slander
• See also Thesaurus:defame

Related terms

• calumniation
• calumniator
• calumniatory
• calumnious
• calumny

Translations

Latin

Participle

calumni?te

1. vocative masculine singular of calumni?tus

English

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• enPR: m?-l?n', IPA^(key): /m??la?n/

Adjective

malign (comparative more malign, superlative most malign)

1. Evil or malignant in disposition, nature, intent or influence.
2. Malevolent.
   • 1891, Ambrose Bierce, An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge

     He was sure they [the stars] were arranged in some order which had a secret and malign significance.

3. (oncology) Malignant.
   • 1625, Francis Bacon, Of Seditions and Troubles

     malign ulcers

Antonyms

• benign

Related terms

• malignant

Translations

Verb

malign (third-person singular simple present maligns, present participle maligning, simple past and past participle maligned)

1. (transitive) To make defamatory statements about; to slander or traduce.
   • To be envied and shot at; to be maligned standing, and to be despised falling.

2. (transitive, archaic) To treat with malice; to show hatred toward; to abuse; to wrong.

   • The people practice what mischiefs and villainies they will against private men, whom they malign by stealing their goods, or murdering them.

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:defame

Translations

Anagrams

• Gilman, laming, lingam

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From Latin malignus

Adjective

malign (masculine and feminine malign, neuter malignt, definite singular and plural maligne)

1. (medicine) malignant

References

• “malign” in The Bokmål Dictionary.
• “malign” in Det Norske Akademis ordbok (NAOB).

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From Latin malignus

Adjective

malign (masculine and feminine malign, neuter malignt, definite singular and plural maligne)

1. (medicine) malignant