mal-, male-, mali-

Referring to how something emits a bad or a very foul stench: The malodorously repugnant smell that came from the sewer was the result of the ancient drainage system that needed to be rebuilt.

The attribute of having disgusting odors that range from the unpleasant to the strongly offensive: It didn't take long for the malodorousness of the decaying fish for them to be dumped into a hole and covered with dirt.

A bad or an unpleasant name: There are some people who use malonyms to describe unpleasant situations or people whom they hate or do not respect.

1. An improper treatment or a culpable neglect of a patient by a physician: The surviving kin of Marcus charged the doctor with malpractice because they were convinced that their relative had died because of an improper diagnosis.
2. Illegal action by which a person seeks to benefit himself or herself at the cost of others while in a position of trust: The international organization which was investigating allegations of rigged elections concluded there had been a series of malpractices which invalidated the results of the election. © ALL rights are reserved.
© ALL rights are reserved.

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A faulty or an abnormal turning of a part of the body: The obstetrician determined the fetus needed uterine surgery to correct the malrotation in its digestive tract.

1. To abuse, to handle roughly or rudely; to treat someone in a cruel way: Jaden's cousin claims that he was maltreated by the prison guards when he was serving his time there.

Warren's mother, who maltreated him, was being investigated for this because he came to school with several bruises on his arms.

2. Etymology: from Latin mal-, "bad, wicked" + treat from tractare, "to pull". © ALL rights are reserved.

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The action of treating badly or the state of experiencing cruelties by others: The doctor was accused of providing maltreatments that made patients worse rather than to improve their physical conditions.

Misconduct or bad behavior in public office or corruption in an administration: A malversation may include any of a number of misdeeds, whether criminal or merely unethical: such as, bribery, mishandling of funds, embezzlement, extortion, etc.

The possibilities of malversations can take place in many situations, both privately and publicly.

© ALL rights are reserved.
© ALL rights are reserved.

Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
so you can see more of Mickey Bach's cartoons.

1. Software that does not benefit the computer's owner and may even damage his or her machine: Malware is said to consist of the following malignant or malicious kinds of harm to electronic devices which process information and has different programs: viruses, worms, wabbits, Trojans, spyware, backdoors, exploits, keyloggers, dialers, URL injectors, adware, etc.is said to consist of the following malignant or malicious kinds of harmful computer programs: viruses, worms, wabbits, Trojans, spyware, backdoors, exploits, keyloggers, dialers, URL injectors, adware, etc.
2. Etymology: a coined word made up of mal, "bad" + ware as in "software".

1. A form of epilepsy with very brief, unannounced lapses in consciousness: A petit mal is a seizure that involves a short loss of awareness, which can be accompanied by blinking or mouth twitching.

A seizure of a petit mal also takes the form of a staring spell; as if the person suddenly seems to be "absent" or "not aware" of what is going on!

2. Etymology: from French, "little illness" from petit, "small" + mal, "illness"; as, in seizures which are also known as "absence seizures".