malin

malin

1. definite accusative singular of mal

malin

1. genitive singular of mali

• ilman, liman

Semi-learned borrowing from Latin malignus (“wicked, malicious”).

• IPA^(key): /ma.lɛ̃/

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malin (feminine maligne, masculine plural malins, feminine plural malignes)

1. (obsolete) nocive; pernicious
2. (medicine) malignant

   une tumeur maligne ― a malignant tumor

   Antonym: bénin

3. (chiefly dated or biblical) malicious, sadistic (which likes to do or say hurtful things for fun)

   Synonym: méchant

   prendre un malin plaisir à faire quelque chose ― to take perverse pleasure in doing something

4. (informal) smart and quick-thinking, and often tricksterish; cunning, crafty

   Synonyms: astucieux, fin, intelligent, rusé

   C'est malin ! ― Well done!

   avoir l'air malin ― to look daft, to look silly

   • 1982, “Un été sans toi”, performed by Charles Aznavour:

     C’est inhumain / De me laisser seul / J’ai l’air malin / Sous mon parasol

     It's inhuman / To leave me alone / I look silly / Under my umbrella

5. (Quebec) Said of an aggressive animal or a petulant person

• Common usage is to form the feminine by adding an -e, following the regular rule. However, despite the fact that the form maline has been largely used in spoken language for centuries, it is still considered incorrect and the form maligne, yet scarcely used orally, is expected in careful writing.
• In its meaning of “malicious” the word is mostly restricted to expressions such as malin plaisir; it is a standard attribute of the Devil.
• In the expressions c'est malin or avoir l'air malin, malin is used ironically.

• malin comme un singe

malin m (plural malins, feminine maligne)

1. trickster, smart person

• à malin, malin et demi
• gros malin (“smart ass”)
• petit malin (“trickster”)
• faire le malin

• “malin”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

• milan, Milan

• IPA^(key): /ˈma.lin/
• Rhymes: -alin
• Syllabification: ma‧lin

malin f

1. genitive plural of malina

malin m or n (feminine singular malină, masculine plural malini, feminine and neuter plural maline)

1. Alternative form of malign