different between malignant vs deadly

English

Etymology

From Middle French malignant, from Late Latin malignans. See malign.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /m??l??n?nt/

Adjective

malignant (comparative more malignant, superlative most malignant)

1. Harmful, malevolent, injurious.
2. (medicine) Tending to produce death; threatening a fatal issue.

   malignant diphtheria

   a malignant tumor

Antonyms

• (medicine): benign, non-malignant

Derived terms

Related terms

• nonmalignant

Translations

Noun

malignant (plural malignants)

1. A deviant; a person who is hostile or destructive to society.
   • 1823, The Retrospective Review (volume 7, page 11)

     As devout Stephen was carried to his burial by devout men, so is it just and equal that malignants should carry malignants […]
2. (historical, derogatory, obsolete) A person who fought for Charles I in the English Civil War.

Latin

Verb

malignant

1. third-person plural present active indicative of malign?

English

Etymology

From Middle English dedly, dedlych, dedlich, from Old English d?adl?? (adjective); corresponding to dead +? -ly. Cognate with Dutch dodelijk, German tödlich.

The adverb is from Middle English dedliche, from Old English d?adl??e (adverb), from the adjective.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?d?d.li/

Adjective

deadly (comparative deadlier or more deadly, superlative deadliest or most deadly)

1. (obsolete, rare) Subject to death; mortal.
2. Causing death; lethal.
3. Aiming or willing to destroy; implacable; desperately hostile.
4. Very accurate (of aiming with a bow, firearm, etc.).
5. (informal) Very boring.
6. (informal) Excellent, awesome, cool.

Usage notes

In Australia, the sense "excellent, awesome, cool" is especially used by, or in connection with, Indigenous Australians.

Derived terms

• deadliness
• deadly sin

Translations

Adverb

deadly (comparative more deadly, superlative most deadly)

1. (obsolete) Fatally, mortally.
2. In a way which suggests death.

3. Extremely, incredibly.

Usage notes

Some adjectives commonly collocating with deadly: serious, clever, good

Derived terms

• fail-deadly

Translations

Related terms

• dead