mălignĭtas, ātis, f. [malignus].
- I. ill-will, spite, malice, envy, malignity (not in Cic. or Cæs.).
Lit.: malignitati falsa species libertatis inest, Tac. H. 1, 1: malignitas multo veneno tincta, Sen. Vit. Beat. 18, 2: interpretantium, Plin. Ep. 5, 7, 6: humana, Tac. Or. 18: malignitas et livor, id. Agr. 41.
In plur.: malignitatum vulnera, Prud. στεφ. 2, 259.
- II. Stinginess, niggardliness, meanness [v. malignus, II.]: ita malignitate oneravit omnes mortales mihi, Plaut. Capt. 3, 1, 4; Liv. 10, 46, 15; 34, 34, 8; 39, 9, 6.
Hence,
- III. Transf., stingy or niggardly act: malignitatis auctores quaerendo, Liv. 5, 22, 1: accensaque ea cupiditas est malignitate patrum, id. 2, 42, 1.
- B. Barrenness, unfruitfulness; of the vine, Col. 3, 10, 18.