Usage Note
Maléfique carries a strong supernatural or fairy-tale register — it describes curses, witches, and dark forces rather than everyday wrongdoing. The noun maléfice means a spell or hex. It contrasts with bénéfique (beneficial), the same Latin suffix -fique appearing in both.
Examples
"La fée maléfique a jeté un sort."
Natural Translation
The evil fairy cast a spell.

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