Meaning
mischievous, sly
- playfully mischievous, cheeky, or suggestive
- showing cunning, deceitful, or hurtful intent
In a sentence
Mi ha guardato con un sorriso malizioso prima di rispondere alla domanda.
She looked at me with a mischievous smile before answering the question.
Non c'era alcuna intenzione maliziosa dietro la mia semplice battuta.
There was no mischievous intention behind my simple joke.
Perché mi rivolgi sempre quella domanda con un tono così malizioso?
Why do you always ask me that question in such a cheeky tone?
Word forms (4)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| malizioso | masculine · singular |
| maliziosa | feminine · singular |
| maliziosi | masculine · plural |
| maliziose | feminine · plural |
Usage notes
- Often a false friend: it usually means 'cheeky' or 'provocative', rather than hurtful 'malicious'.
- Translate English 'malicious' with 'malevolo' or 'cattivo' when harm is intended.