n. 1.  The quality or state of being malevolent. 2.  Malevolent behavior. [Middle English, from Old French malivolence, from Latin malevolentia, from malevolēns, malevolent-, malevolent : male, badly; see  mel-3 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + volēns, present participle of velle, to want; see  wel-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]  | 
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