different between malign vs mistaken

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

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /m?s?te?k?n/
• Rhymes: -e?k?n

Verb

mistaken

1. past participle of mistake

   I'm frequently mistaken for my brother.

Adjective

mistaken (comparative more mistaken, superlative most mistaken)

1. Erroneous.

   A mistaken sense of loyalty.

2. (with a copula verb, often with about) Having an incorrect belief.

   I think you must be mistaken.

   He admitted he was mistaken about the budget numbers.

Usage notes

• The phrase if I'm not mistaken (and variations) is used to indicate that one is uncertain about something one has said.
• Nouns to which mistaken is often applied: identity, belief, notion, view, assumption, impression, idea, thinking, identification, diagnosis, interpretation, person, opinion, conclusion, judgment, conception, perception, theory, reading, concept.

Derived terms

• mistaken identity

Translations

Anagrams

• mankiest