English

Proper noun

Malin

1. An English matronymic surname​ based on a Middle English diminutive of Mary.

Anagrams

• lamin
• Milan

French

Etymology

From Latin malignus

Proper noun

Malin m

1. the Devil

Norwegian

Proper noun

Malin

1. A female given name derived from Magdalena.

Swedish

Etymology

Vernacular form of Magdalena. First recorded in Sweden in 1524.

Proper noun

Malin

1. A female given name.
   • 1985 Marianne Fredriksson, Simon och ekarna, Wahlström & Widstrand (2001), ISBN 9146182942, page 236:

     - Hon ska heta Malin.

     - Varför det, sade Karin som tyckte att det var ett fult gammalt namn som luktade fattigsverige.

     - Det hette min mamma, sade Mona och då fanns det inget att tillägga.

References

• Roland Otterbjörk: Svenska förnamn, Almqvist & Wiksell 1996, ISBN 91-21-10937-0
• Statistiska centralbyrån and Sture Allén, Staffan Wåhlin, Förnamnsboken, Norstedts 1995, ISBN 9119551622: 48 812 females with the given name Malin living in Sweden on December 31st, 2010, with the frequency peak in the 1970s. Accessed on 19 June 2011.

French

Adjective

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

1. Which is smart and quick-thinking, and often a trickster.

   Comme c'est malin !‎

   How smart!

2. Intelligent, bright.
3. (medicine) Malignant.
4. (Quebec) Said of an aggressive animal or a petulant person.
5. (chiefly dated or biblical) Malicious, sadistic; which likes to do or say hurtful things for fun.
6. (obsolete) Nocive; pernicious.

Synonyms

• (smart, clever): astucieux, fin, intelligent, rusé
• (malicious): méchant

Usage notes

• 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.

Noun

malin m ‎(plural malins, feminine maligne)

1. trickster, smart person

Derived terms

• gros malin : smart ass
• petit malin : trickster
• faire le malin

Anagrams

• milan, Milan