malicieux (French)
Where does "malicieux" come from?
The French word "malicieux," meaning mischievous or malicious, traces its roots back to the Latin term "malitiosus." This Latin adjective described someone full of malice or wickedness, and as the word passed into French, its meaning broadened to encompass both playful mischief and a more harmful intent. Thus, "malicieux" carries a dual sense reflecting its Latin origin's blend of cunning and ill will.
Full etymology tree
- malicieux (French), 'mischievous'
- inherited from malitiosus (Latin), 'malicious, wicked'
- compound of malitia (Latin), 'a bad quality; badness, wickedness'
- suffix -ōsus (Latin), '-ose, -ous; full of, overly, prone to. Used to form adjectives from nouns.'
- inherited from malitiosus (Latin), 'malicious, wicked'
Updated March 2026
Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris