Vocabulary in context
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Malediction
A curse; the utterance of a curse or a statement invoking harm or misfortune.
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Imagine This
Imagine a sorceress standing on a stormy cliff, raising an arm and speaking a malediction that twists the air, turning bright daylight into a creeping shadow over the village.
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Sounds Like
MAL-uh-dik-shun
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Looks Like
malediction
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Remember This
Mal- means 'bad.' Related words include malefactor (evil doer) and malfunction (functioning badly).
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Other Forms
maledictverb
maledictornoun
maledictoryadjective
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Connect With
curse, imprecation, execration, invective; opposite concept: benediction
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Note
Malediction is a formal, literary term for a curse. Do not confuse with benediction, which means a blessing. The verb form is maledict, meaning to curse.
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Study Deeper
Examples
- In the old manuscript, the priest's malediction curses the offender with years of misfortune.
- The villain's malediction echoed through the hall as the heroes prepared to confront him.
Synonyms
curseimprecationexecrationdamnationanathema
Antonyms
benedictionblessingpraise
Etymology
From Latin maledictio 'a speaking ill of', from maledicere 'to speak ill of' (malus 'bad' + dici/dicere 'to say'). The English noun appeared in the 15th century.
Mnemonic
Mnemonic: MAL- (bad) + DICTION (speech) = a bad speech. A malediction is a bad speech that curses.
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Idiosyncratic
adjectivePeculiar to an individual; distinctive or characteristic of a particular person, often in an unusual or quirky way.
Concise
adjectiveUsing as few words as possible to express an idea clearly; brief and to the point.
Capricious
adjectiveUnpredictable; given to sudden, unaccountable changes in mood or behavior.
Similar Words
Related words and words with the same part of speech.
Abasement
nounThe act or instance of humiliating or degrading someone; the state of being lowered in dignity or status.
Absurdity
nounThe quality or state of being wildly unreasonable, illogical, or ridiculous; something that is completely contrary to reason or common sense.
Accent
nounA distinctive way of pronouncing words; the act of emphasizing a syllable or word (as a verb, to accent means to emphasize).
Accolade
nounAn honor; a public expression of praise or an award.
Acrimony
nounBitterness of speech or manner; ill feeling
Acronym
nounA word formed from the initial letters of a phrase, pronounced as a single word and used as a shorthand for the full name (for example, NASA or radar).
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