malice aforethought


noun Law.

a predetermination to commit an unlawful act without just cause or provocation (applied chiefly to cases of first-degree murder).
Also called malice prepense.

Origin of malice aforethought

First recorded in 1660–70

Words nearby malice aforethought

British Dictionary definitions for malice aforethought

malice aforethought

noun criminal law

the predetermination to do an unlawful act, esp to kill or seriously injure
the intent with which an unlawful killing is effected, which must be proved for the crime to constitute murder See also murder, manslaughter