LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
adjectivefirst/second-declension adjective

maleficus1

maleficus (feminine malefica, neuter maleficum)
Classical[maˈɫɛ.fɪ.kʊs]Ecclesiastical[maˈlɛː.fi.kus]

Meaning

  1. adjectivewicked, vicious
  2. adjectivecriminal

Declension

singular
formmasculinefeminineneuter
nominativemaleficusmaleficamaleficum
genitivemaleficīmaleficaemaleficī
dativemaleficōmaleficaemaleficō
accusativemaleficummaleficammaleficum
ablativemaleficōmaleficāmaleficō
vocativemaleficemaleficamaleficum
plural
formmasculinefeminineneuter
nominativemaleficīmaleficaemalefica
genitivemaleficōrummaleficārummaleficōrum
dativemaleficīsmaleficīsmaleficīs
accusativemaleficōsmaleficāsmalefica
ablativemaleficīsmaleficīsmaleficīs
vocativemaleficīmaleficaemalefica

mălĕfĭcus (in MSS. also mălĭfĭ-cus), a, um, adj. malefacio,
I. evil-doing, nefarious, vicious, wicked, criminal.
I. Lit.
A. In gen. (class.): homo natura maleficus, et injustus, Cic. Tusc. 5, 20, 57: malefici sceleratique homines, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 55, § 144: maleficentissimus, Suet. Galb. 15: mores malefici, Plaut. Cas. 4, 2, 4: malefica vita, Tac. A. 4, 21.—As subst.: mălĕ-fĭous, i, m., an evil-doer, criminal: contra istoc detrudi maleficos Aequom videlur, Plaut. Trin. 2, 4, 150.—
B. In partic., magical: artes, Vulg. 2 Par. 33, 6.—As substt.
1. mălĕfĭcus, i, m., a magician, enchanter: de maleficis et mathematicis, Cod. Just. 9, 18, 5: magi qui malefici vulgi consuetudine nuncupantur, ib. 9, 18, 7; Schol. Juv. 6, 594.—
2. mălĕfĭcum, i, n., a charm, means of enchantment: semusti cineres aliaque malefica, quis creditur anima numinibus inferis sacrari, Tac. A. 2, 69 fin.—
II. Transf., hurtful, injurious, noxious, mischievous (only post-Aug.): Christiani, genus hominum superstitionis novae atque maleficae, Suet. Ner. 16: sidera, Plin. 7, 49, 50, § 160: vis, id. 33, 4, 25, § 84: bestia piscibus malefica, id. 9, 15, 20, § 50: caprae, maleficum frondibus animal, id. 12, 17, 37, § 73: natura, inimical, unpropitious, Nep. Ages. 8, 1: bestia, Amm. 28, 3, 4.— Hence, adv.: mălĕfĭcē, mischievously: aliquid agere, Plaut. Ps. 4, 7, 113.

Origins

Derived from male (“badly, wrongly”) + -ficus (suffix denoting making or doing).

Descendants
  • Catalanmalèfic
  • Frenchmaléfique
  • Germanmalefiz
  • Italianmalefico
  • Portuguesemaléfico
  • Spanishmaléfico
  • Romanianmalefic
  • Englishmaleficent
  • Piedmontesemaléfich
noun · masculinesecond declension
maleficus2
maleficus m (genitive maleficī)
Classical[maˈɫɛ.fɪ.kʊs]Ecclesiastical[maˈlɛː.fi.kus]

Meaning

  1. masculinedoer of wrong, evildoer, criminal (person)
  2. masculinesorcerer, magician
    Maleficos, quos vel veneficos possumus appellare, vel dæmonum phantasmatibus servientes."Sorcerors, whom we can call either wizards or [men] serving the phantasms of demons."(Can we date this quote?), S. Hieronymus [St. Jerome], Commentarii [Commentaries]:

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativemaleficusmaleficī
genitivemaleficīmaleficōrum
dativemaleficōmaleficīs
accusativemaleficummaleficōs
ablativemaleficōmaleficīs
vocativemaleficemaleficī

Origins

Derived from male (“badly, wrongly”) + -ficus (suffix denoting making or doing).

Quick answers

What does maleficus mean in Latin?
maleficus, a adjective, means “wicked, vicious; criminal”.
How do you pronounce maleficus?
In classical Latin, [maˈɫɛ.fɪ.kʊs]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [maˈlɛː.fi.kus].