mal-
a combining form meaning “bad,” “wrongful,” “ill,” occurring originally in loanwords from French (malapert ); on this model, used in the formation of other words (malfunction; malcontent ).
mal-
1 American
Mal.
2
American
abbreviation
-
Bible. Malachi.
-
Malayan.
Mal.
1
British
abbreviation
-
Bible Malachi
-
Malay(an)
MAL
2
British
abbreviation
mal-
3
British
combining form
Etymology
Origin of mal-
Middle English < Old French, representing mal adv. (< Latin male badly, ill) and adj. (< Latin malus bad)
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
To hope = esper‑i; pref. mal- denotes opposite. 3In every case.
From International Language Past, Present and Future: With Specimens of Esperanto and Grammar by Walter John Clark
The Earl already began to tremble at the probable consequences of his mal- adroitness.
From History of the United Netherlands from the Death of William the Silent to the Twelve Year's Truce, 1585e-86a by John Lothrop Motley
To raise = lev‑i; suf -iĝ makes it intransitive; pref. mal- denotes the opposite; ending -o makes it a noun. 2Where he was going.
From International Language Past, Present and Future: With Specimens of Esperanto and Grammar by Walter John Clark
To detain Hardrada, a charge of mal- appropriation, whether of pay or of booty, was brought against him.
From Harold : the Last of the Saxon Kings — Volume 11 by Edward Bulwer Lytton, Baron Lytton
Bréard, the Comptroller-General, for a consideration winked at these mal- practices, and from a poor man when he landed in Canada, he returned to France in affluent circumstances.
From Picturesque Quebec : a sequel to Quebec past and present by Sir J. M. (James MacPherson) Le Moine
“We got to have a fire, Mal. We got to clean her, and we got to feed her.”
From "The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage" by Philip Pullman
“I don’t know. I’ve known people sent there, and I would not care to meet them again. It’s an ugly place, Mal. You stay close, you understand?”
From "Impossible Creatures" by Katherine Rundell
“I’ll go with Mal. I’ll go to this Senate.”
From "Impossible Creatures" by Katherine Rundell
“No. Don’t do that. Get some wood. Try to light a fire, Mal. It’s really important.”
From "The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage" by Philip Pullman
“She en’t normal, Mal. She en’t proper human. See them butterflies? Well, which one’s her dæmon?”
From "The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage" by Philip Pullman
A 2025 trial conclusion could also "throw a potential wrench into efforts by Cannon to push off the MAL docs case," national security lawyer Bradley Moss tweeted, referring to Trump's Florida federal criminal case.
From Salon ● Nov. 15, 2023
Because the MAL program had been phased out, Kinley was re-enrolled in the Master of Science in Management and Leadership program and all her previously completed courses transferred so she didn’t lose any credits.
From Seattle Times ● May 9, 2022
The 2006 permit had been awarded to the company, WWF said, even though MAL Rt had been fined several times until 2003 for breaching the permissible levels of red sludge in its reservoirs.
From New York Times ● Oct. 14, 2010
Zoltan Bakonyi, the head of MAL Zrt, remained in police custody pending a court decision on his arrest.
From Reuters ● Oct. 12, 2010
Last week, MAL Zrt was criticized for offering emergency compensation of only $500 apiece to citizens injured and rendered homeless by the spill.
From Time ● Oct. 11, 2010
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
