mal-

prefix

evil

“malodor”

Similar
mis-para-dis-dys-under-hypo-a-an-
OriginOld French mal- ← Latin male ← Proto-Italic *malos →
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Meanings

prefix
  1. bad, badly
    1. evil

      malism, malinfluence

      Synonyms: mis-

    2. unhealthy, harmful

      maleffect

      Synonyms: mis-

    3. unpleasant

      malodor

      Synonyms: mis-

    4. incorrect

      maldifferentiation

      Synonyms: mis-, para-, dis-, dys-, mis-

    5. incomplete, unfinished

      maldescent

      Synonyms: mis-

    6. poorly, deficiently

      malfed, malnourished, malcirculation

      Synonyms: mis-, under-, hypo-, dys-

  2. unintentional, mistaken, accidental

    malcommunication

    Synonyms: mis-

  3. not

    maladherence, malcontent

    Synonyms: a-, an-, dys-, in-, non-, un-

Synonyms & antonyms

prefixevil

Similar
mis-

prefixunhealthy, harmful

Similar
mis-

prefixunpleasant

Similar
mis-

prefixincorrect

Similar
mis-para-dis-dys-mis-

prefixincomplete, unfinished

Similar
mis-

prefixpoorly, deficiently

Similar
mis-under-hypo-dys-

prefixunintentional, mistaken, accidental

Similar
mis-

prefixnot

Similar
a-an-dys-in-non-un-
Also see
a-an-dys-hypo-i-il-illim-in-ir-mis-non-para-un-under-

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*(s)mel-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*(s)molos?
  3. Proto-Italic*malos
  4. Latinmalus
  5. Latinmale
  6. Old Frenchmal-
  7. Englishmal-

From Old French mal- from Latin male (“badly”), from malus (“bad”).

More words from Old French, Latin

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

mal-. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mal-

MLA

“mal-.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mal-. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “mal-,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mal-.

Source: mal- on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.