maleficium
- noun
- /ˌmælɪˈfɪʃiəm/
- Archaic
:
maleficium
- In the medieval ages, people believed that a maleficium could cause misfortune or illness.
Examples
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The villagers feared the old woman, convinced that her maleficium brought ruin to their crops.
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Many tales describe how a maleficium can be cast upon an unsuspecting victim through dark rituals.
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Sorcery (incantation and the manipulation of objects) is frequently harmless, while its use for maleficium is witchcraft. (8)
Academic text (2001) -
(n34) According to Enrico, therefore, the true efficacy of this kind of maleficium lies in the devil's institution of a sacrament as an efficacious sign, that is, a sign that brings about what it represents.
Academic text (2007)
Synonyms
87
7.0
A practice of using magic and spells to help or harm people
29
9.2
To use magic to control people or events, often to harm
20
7.7
Magic used to harm people or to help the person who uses it
3
9.1
The use of magic and spells to do strange things
3
9.9
Words spoken to wish harm on someone
1
9.6
A wrong act that harms people or property
How Harmful
Surface Forms
Etymology
Maleficium comes from Latin parts mal- meaning 'bad' and -ficium meaning 'an act', and in old times it was used for evil magic or witchcraft. That's why in stories and history maleficium refers to an act of witchcraft or harmful magic.