Quote Originally Posted by Hurin_Rules
Malus, a, um: a Latin adjective (of the second declension), meaning bad or evil.
From Malus to malice, there's barely a change in pronounciation but the meaning is the same.

Quote Originally Posted by Hurin_Rules
It also means an apple tree, but I am assuming this was not intended.
There seems to be a Biblical ('Garden of Eden') link to this, which makes me think that the Roman word for 'apple' or 'apple tree' might have been something else.

I forget who kicked off the whole concept of taxonomy and using Latin names to classify plants and animals but it didn't really catch on until the 19th century, I think. Practically every dialect of English had its own names for things so, with that and the need to communicate internationally as well, it simply had to be done. Whoever had the idea of Genus:Malus, for apple varieties, must have been an ecclesiastical type. Or had a quirky sense of humour...