Etymograph

English

malignancy

Malignancy comes from Latin malignāns ‘maligning’.

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmalignānsas malignantia‘maligning’
  2. Englishearliest quotation c. 1601–1602malignancy

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmalignānsas malignantia‘maligning’
  2. Englishearliest quotation c. 1601–1602malignancy

Earliest quotation: c. 1601–1602, William Shakespeare, Twelfe Night, or What You Will: “[T]he malignancie of my fate, might perhaps diſtemper yours;…”

Formed from malignant + -cy

Late Latin malignans ‘maligning’

Middle French malignant

English malignant

Every English word from Latin malignāns

Today it means

noun The state of being malignant or diseased.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Latin malignāns / malignancy

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