maltreatment

American  

[mal-treet-muhnt] / mælˈtrit mənt /

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.

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Etymology

Origin of maltreatment

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

Example Sentences

"He had seen evidence of maltreatment and atrocities before we went up into the rubber plantations, but I think what he saw there shifted his whole view of the colonial experience," Patrick said.

From BBC • Nov. 30, 2024

"Addressing the societal and economic conditions that give rise to child maltreatment can play a large part in preventing mental disorders at a national level," Dr Grummitt said.

From Science Daily • May 8, 2024

Another study showed that segments of neighborhoods with maintained lawns had lower rates of child maltreatment.

From National Geographic • Dec. 14, 2023

The same goes for Pierce County, where caseworkers investigating child maltreatment now leave kids with their parents 43% more often than they did a year ago.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 20, 2023

The Cyclopes and the Titans he left at large; and Earth, enraged at the maltreatment of her other children, appealed to them to help her.

From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton

Related Words

• injustice