malignant
adjective/məˈlɪɡnənt/
/məˈlɪɡnənt/
- (of a tumour or disease) that cannot be controlled and is likely to cause death
- malignant cells
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- (formal) having or showing a strong desire to harm somebody synonym malevolent
Word Originmid 16th cent. (also in the sense ‘likely to rebel against God or authority’): from late Latin malignant- ‘contriving maliciously’, from the verb malignare. The term was used in its early sense to describe Royalist sympathizers during the English Civil War.
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malignant