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malefactor

[ mal-uh-fak-ter ]
/ ˈmæl əˌfæk tər /
||
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noun

a person who violates the law; criminal.
a person who does harm or evil, especially toward another.

RELATED WORDS

ruffian, villain, hoodlum, felon, thug, varlet, delinquent, culprit, rascal, wretch, wrongdoer, convict, scoundrel, evildoer, outcast, rogue, prisoner, outlaw, rowdy, scamp

Nearby words

  1. maledict,
  2. malediction,
  3. maledictory,
  4. maleducation,
  5. malefaction,
  6. malefactress,
  7. malefic,
  8. maleficence,
  9. maleficent,
  10. malegaon

Origin of malefactor

1400–50; late Middle English malefactour < Latin malefactor, equivalent to malefac(ere) to act wickedly, do an evil deed (see male-, fact) + -tor -tor
ANTONYMS FOR malefactor
2. benefactor.
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Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for malefactor

British Dictionary definitions for malefactor

malefactor

/ (ˈmælɪˌfæktə) /

noun

a criminal; wrongdoer
Derived Formsmalefaction, nounmalefactress, fem n

Word Origin for malefactor

C15: via Old French from Latin, from malefacere to do evil
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for malefactor

malefactor

n.

mid-15c., from Latin malefactor, agent noun from past participle stem of malefacere "to do evil," from male "badly" (see mal-) + facere "to perform" (see factitious).

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper