Malefic

Malefic (pronounced muh-lef-ik)

(1) Productive of evil; malign; doing harm; baneful.

(2) In astrology, as malefic planet, those heavenly bodies believed to exert a negative or challenging influence on individuals when prominent in a person's birth chart or during specific planetary transits.

1645–1655: From the Latin maleficus (evil-doing, wicked), the construct being male- (badly; wrongly) + -ficus (the suffix denoting making or doing).  The Latin male was from malus (bad, wicked), from the Proto-Italic malos and related to the Oscan mallom and mallud (bad) which wqs probably related to the primitive Indo-European mel- (to deceive) and cognate with the Lithuanian melas (lie) and the first element of the Ancient Greek βλάσφημος (blásphēmos) (jinx).  The alternative etymology is that the source was the primitive Indo-European smal- & mal- which would make it a cognate with the English "small".  Historically, it was thought associated with the Ancient Greek μέλας (mélas) (black, dark), but modern etymologists increasingly doubt this and any link with either the Avestan (mairiia) (treacherous) and the Sanskrit मल (mala) (dirtiness, impurity) remains uncertain.  The most familiar modern use of the form is probably the word maleficence.  Malefic is a useful word to have in one’s vocabulary because it’s a handy substitute for “evil” and its rarity adds interest to a text.  Malefic is a noun & adjective, maleficent is an adjective, malefically is an adverb and maleficence is a noun; the plural forms are malefic & malefics depending on the context.

The 2016 US presidential election: malefactor vs malefactress.

A malefactor is “a man who violates the law or is an evildoer”.  It was from the Middle English malefactour, from the Late Latin malefactor, from the Latin malefaciō, the construct being male (evilly) + factus (made or done), past participle of facio (I make or do).  The feminine form is malefactress (a woman who violates the law or is an evildoer).  The -ess suffix was from the Middle English -esse, from the Old French -esse, from the Late Latin -issa, from the Ancient Greek -ισσα (-issa) and was appended to words to create the female form.   It displaced the Old English -en (feminine suffix of nouns).

Lindsay Lohan’s birth chart; malefically speaking, it could have been worse.

In astrology, malefic planets are those believed to exert a negative or challenging influence on individuals when prominent in a person's birth chart or during specific planetary transits, astrologers noting these planets bring difficulties, obstacles, and adverse effects in various aspects of life.  Historically, the malefic planets were Saturn, Mars, Rahu (North Node of the Moon), and Ketu (South Node of the Moon):

Saturn: The most malefic planet in astrology, it’s associated with limitations, delays, restrictions, and hardships while governing areas such as discipline, responsibility, karma, and the lessons of life.

Mars: Mars is associated with energy, aggression, and assertiveness. It can bring forth conflicts, accidents, impulsiveness, and aggressive behavior if poorly positioned or afflicted in a birth chart.

Rahu: The North Node of the Moon, it represents worldly desires, obsession, and illusion.  If well placed in one’s chart, it can bestow material success and create opportunities but when malefic, it induces confusion & makes one a likely victim of deception.

Ketu: The South Node of the Moon, it represents spirituality, detachment, and karmic lessons so it can confer spiritual growth and liberation but its malefic influence will manifest as separation, torment or loss.