mal-

¹ American  

1. 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. ² American  

abbreviation

1. Bible. Malachi.

2. Malayan.

---

Mal. ¹ British  

abbreviation

1. Bible Malachi

2. Malay(an)

---

MAL ² British  

abbreviation

1. Malaysia (international car registration)

---

mal- ³ British  

combining form

1. bad or badly; wrong or wrongly; imperfect or defective

   maladjusted

   malfunction

---

Etymology

Origin of mal-

Middle English < Old French, representing mal adv. (< Latin male badly, ill) and adj. (< Latin malus bad)

Example Sentences

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 Motley, John Lothrop

Tired = lac‑a; mal- denotes opposite; -ig denotes causing to be. 10Opened.

From International Language Past, Present and Future: With Specimens of Esperanto and Grammar by Clark, Walter John

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 Le Moine, J. M. (James MacPherson), Sir

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 Lytton, Edward Bulwer Lytton, Baron

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 Clark, Walter John