malin
See also Malin
French
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin malignus.
Pronunciation
Adjective
malin m (feminine maligne, masculine plural malins, feminine plural malignes)
- Which is smart and quick-thinking, and often a trickster.
- Intelligent, bright.
- (medicine) Malignant.
- (Quebec) Said of an aggressive animal or a petulant person.
- (chiefly dated or biblical) Malicious, sadistic; which likes to do or say hurtful things for fun.
- (obsolete) Nocive; pernicious.
Usage notes
- In its meaning of "malicious" the word is mostly restricted to expressions such as "malin plaisir"; it is a standard attribute of the Devil.
Derived terms
- gros malin
- c'est malin
- petit malin