maltalent

English

Etymology

From Middle English maltalent, from Anglo-Norman maltalent and Middle French maltalent, maltalant, from mal (“evil”) + talent (“disposition”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mælˈtælənt/

Noun

maltalent (uncountable)

1. (obsolete) Ill will; malice, malevolence. [14th–19th c.]
   • 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book III, Canto IIII”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 61, page 461:

     So forth he vvent, / VVith heauy looke and lumpiſh pace, that plaine / In him bevvraid great grudge and maltalent; / His ſteed eke ſeemd t'apply his ſteps to his intent.

Middle English

Alternative forms

• male talent, male-talent, maletalent, maltalant, maltelent, mautalent, mautelent

Etymology

From Middle French maltalent, from Old French mautalant; equivalent to mal- +‎ talent.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /malˈtalɛnt/, /mau̯ˈtalɛnt/, /ˌmaːlˈtalɛnt/

Noun

maltalent (uncountable)

1. ill will, malice, anger

Descendants

• English: maltalent (obsolete)

References

• “maltalent, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

Middle French

Etymology

Old French mautalant.

Noun

maltalent m (plural maltalens)

1. evil intention(s)

Descendants

• → Middle English: maltalent, male talent, male-talent, maletalent, maltalant, maltelent, mautalent, mautelent
  • English: maltalent (obsolete)

References

• maltalent on Dictionnaire du Moyen Français (1330–1500) (in French)