aforethought

[ uh-fawr-thawt, uh-fohr- ]

adjective

1. thought thought of previously; premeditated (usually used predicatively):

   with malice aforethought.

noun

1. premeditation; forethought.

aforethought

/ əˈfɔːˌθɔːt /

adjective

1. immediately postpositive premeditated (esp in the phrase malice aforethought )

Word History and Origins

Origin of aforethought¹

First recorded in 1575–85; afore + thought ²

Example Sentences

And there’s no question it was a choice aforethought.

From New York Times

Capote had no doubt that Ann — “Mrs. Bang Bang,” he once called her to her face — had offed her husband with malice aforethought, but in Montillo’s telling the evidence is less than clear-cut.

From Washington Post

“And it is his prerogative when life begins and ends, and it is not up to us, because the definition of murder that I go by is the unjust taking of human life with malice aforethought.”

From New York Times

The legal definition — and I might actually slaughter this a little myself — the legal definition of manslaughter is killing a human being without malice aforethought.

From Salon

Now if in fact the fetus is a human being, there's certainly malice aforethought in that, so I don't think that manslaughter is the right felony to put on that.

From Salon

Related Words

• calculated
• careful
• cautious
• cold-blooded
• conscious
• meticulous
• premeditated
• prudent
• purposeful
• studious
• thoughtful
• willful