ISEE/SSAT Vocabulary Builder›Word parts›Prefixes›mal
PrefixLatin
mal
bad, evil
Latin malus, bad: a malfunction works badly, malice is bad intent, and a malevolent person wishes harm.
Words built from it
- malfunction — to fail to work properly
mal- (bad) + function (operation) - malice — the intention to do harm
mal (bad) + -ice (state of) - malicious — intending to do harm
mal (bad) + -icious (full of) - malady — an ailment or disorder
mal- (bad) + habitus (condition) - malevolent — wishing harm on others
mal (bad) + vol (wish, from velle) - maladroit — clumsy or lacking skill
mal- (badly) + adroit (skillful)
Looks like it, but is not
- malleable — from Latin malleus 'hammer' — describes something that can be shaped by hammering, unrelated to malus 'bad'
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