maltreatment

[ mal-treet-muhnt ]

noun

1. the act of treating someone badly, cruelly, or roughly; abuse:

   Around 4 to 6 percent of elderly people have experienced some form of maltreatment at home.

Word History and Origins

Origin of maltreatment¹

First recorded in 1700–10; mal- ( def ) + treatment ( def )

Example Sentences

He also buys wild animals kept as pets, such as a foulmouthed Tucumán Amazon parrot and a maltreated ocelot in critical condition.

From Washington Post

Related Words

• injustice