2. (Med.) tending to spread, especially tending to intrude into healthy tissue; -- used mostly of tumors. [Narrower terms: {malignant}] PJC]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
Malignant — (from the Latin roots mal = bad and genus = born ) is a medical term used to describe a severe and progressively worsening disease. The term is most familiar as a description of cancer. A malignant tumor may be contrasted with a non cancerous… … Wikipedia
malignant — ma*lig nant, a. [L. malignans, antis, p. pr. of malignare, malignari, to do or make maliciously. See {Malign}, and cf. {Benignant}.] 1. Disposed to do harm, inflict suffering, or cause distress; actuated by extreme malevolence or enmity;… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
malignant — (adj.) 1560s, in reference to diseases, from M.Fr. malignant and directly from L.L. malignantem (nom. malignans) acting from malice, prp. of malignare injure maliciously (see MALIGN (Cf. malign) (v.)). Earlier in the church malignant followers of … Etymology dictionary
Malignant — Ma*lig nant, n. 1. A man of extreme enmity or evil intentions. Hooker. [1913 Webster] 2. (Eng. Hist.) One of the adherents of Charles I. or Charles II.; so called by the opposite party. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
malignant — I adjective atrocious, baleful, baneful, barbarous, bitter, blackhearted, bloodthirsty, brutal, brutish, cancerous, caustic, cold blooded, coldhearted, consuming, corrosive, cruel, damaging, dangerous, deadly, death bringing, death dealing,… … Law dictionary
malignant — malign, malevolent, *malicious, spiteful Analogous words: virulent, venomous (see POISONOUS): *envious, jealous: baneful, noxious, *pernicious: diabolical, devilish, *fiendish Antonyms: benignant Contrasted words: benign, * … New Dictionary of Synonyms
malignant — [adj] diseased cancerous, deadly, destructive, fatal, internecine, lethal, mortal, pestilential, poisonous; concept 314 Ant. benign, harmless, uncancerous … New thesaurus
malignant — ► ADJECTIVE 1) harmful; malevolent. 2) (of a tumour) tending to invade normal tissue or to recur after removal; cancerous. Contrasted with BENIGN(Cf. ↑benignly). ORIGIN originally in the sense «likely to rebel against God or authority»: from… … English terms dictionary
malignant — [mə lig′nənt] adj. [LL malignans (gen. malignantis), prp. of malignare: see MALIGN] 1. having an evil influence; malign 2. wishing evil; very malevolent or malicious 3. very harmful 4. very dangerous or virulent; causing or likely to cause death; … English World dictionary
malignant — [[t]məlɪ̱gnənt[/t]] 1) ADJ: usu ADJ n A malignant tumour or disease is out of control and likely to cause death. [MEDICAL] She developed a malignant breast tumour. Ant: benign 2) ADJ GRADED If you say that someone is malignant, you think they are … English dictionary
malignant — 1. Resistant to treatment; occurring in severe form, and frequently fatal; tending to become worse and leading to an ingravescent course. 2. In reference to a neoplasm, having the property of locally invasive and destructive growth and metastasis … Medical dictionary
