malpractice

American  

[mal-prak-tis] / mælˈpræk tɪs /

noun

• malpractices
  plural

1. Law. failure of a professional person, as a physician or lawyer, to render proper services through reprehensible ignorance or negligence or through criminal intent, especially when injury or loss follows.

2. any improper, negligent practice; misconduct or misuse.

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malpractice British  

/ mælˈpræktɪs /

noun

1. immoral, illegal, or unethical professional conduct or neglect of professional duty

2. any instance of improper professional conduct

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malpractice Cultural  

1. Mistakes or negligent conduct by a professional person, especially a physician, that results in damage to others, such as misdiagnosis of a serious illness. Damaged parties often seek compensation by bringing malpractice suits against the offending physician or other professional.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• malpractitioner
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• malpractices
  plural

Etymology

Origin of malpractice

First recorded in 1665–75; mal- + practice

Explanation

If you needed your tonsils removed but your surgeon accidentally took out your appendix instead, you could sue her for malpractice, or mistreatment by a doctor that results in harm to the patient. There are many kinds of malpractice, but medical and legal — by a doctor or lawyer — are the most common. Any professional who injures a client or patient through negligence risks being accused of malpractice, and possibly taken to court. The prefix mal means "bad," from the Latin word malus, or "evil." Practice comes from the Modern Latin practicare, "to practice." If a doctor practices medicine badly enough that it hurts someone, that's malpractice.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

malpractice malpractices

Thurman has an ongoing lawsuit against Ascension Seton Williamson and the other hospital, Ascension Seton Highland Lakes, for medical malpractice.

From Salon ● Sep. 13, 2026

Plaintiffs attorneys, legislators and patients say that Kaiser’s private and confidential process for arbitrating legal disputes over medical care still has key flaws that favor Kaiser over patients bringing malpractice cases.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 5, 2026

In Texas, legal malpractice claims are generally subject to a two-year statute of limitations, although certain exceptions may extend the filing deadline.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 26, 2026

The malpractice insurance was provided by Beazley, a business liability insurance provider.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 18, 2026

What comes up again and again in malpractice cases is that patients say they were rushed or ignored or treated poorly.

From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell

In October 2025, Seoul apologised for the first time for state-sanctioned malpractices, saying "unjust human rights violations" were committed.

From Barron's ● Jun. 4, 2026

There was one rural hospital, the site of various malpractices.

From Salon ● May 3, 2022

“We found exactly the same malpractices in exactly the same districts in 2018 as we did the year before,” Klimek says.

From Scientific American ● Oct. 30, 2018

That said, there is no evidence that either of them were aware of the Libor malpractices or in any way encouraged them.

From BBC ● Jan. 10, 2013

An anonymous pamphlet was published from the press of A. H. Holland, charging the magistrates of the town with malpractices, which caused much excitement.

From History of Halifax City by Thomas B. Akins

Related Words

• carelessness
• dereliction
• misbehavior
• misdeed
• mismanagement
• negligence
• transgression
• violation