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

In the child maltreatment study, the researchers noted, “One potential explanation for the association between micro-neighborhood greening and reduced child maltreatment may be the effect that micro-neighborhood greening has on parents’ stress.

From National Geographic • Dec. 14, 2023

"We are in the identification phase of understanding how stressors like child maltreatment and psychiatric disorders become embedded in our lives on a cellular level."

From Science Daily • Dec. 5, 2023

Babies enrolled in home visiting programs are more likely to attend their well-child visits on time, complete the appropriate developmental screenings to identify delays, avoid maltreatment and be kindergarten-ready.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 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