malice [ME] Malice goes back to Latin malus ‘bad’, the source also of malign [ME], malaise [M18th], maleficent [L17th], via French from Latin maleficium ‘evil deed, sorcery’ and the first part of malevolent [E16th], the second half being from Latin volens ‘willing’. Since the 15th century malice has been a legal term, found especially in malice aforethought [LME] ‘thought before’, the intention to kill or harm which distinguishes murder from manslaughter.