malfeasance

WOTD - 9 May 2009    

English

Etymology

From Old French malfaisance, derived from malfaire, maufaire (“do evil”), from Latin malefaciō (“I do evil”), from male (“evilly”) + faciō (“do, make”).

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˌmælˈfiz.əns/, SAMPA: /%m{l"fiz.@ns/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Hyphenation: mal‧fea‧sance

Noun

Wikipedia malfeasance (plural malfeasances)

1. wrongdoing
2. (law) Misconduct or wrongdoing, especially by a public official that causes damage.

Synonyms

• (wrongdoing): misconduct, wrongdoing

Related terms

• malfeasant
• malefactor
• maleficent
• misfeasance
• nonfeasance

Translations

wrongdoing

Bosnian: malverzacija (bs) f. Czech: zločin (cs) m., trestný čin (cs) m., přestoupení (cs) n. zákona (cs)

German: Übeltat (de) f., Untat (de) f., (strong) Schandtat (de) f. Scottish Gaelic: olc (gd) m. Spanish: maldad (es) f.

sabotage that causes damage

Czech: sabotáž (cs) f. German: Sabotage (de) f., Sabotageakt (de) m.

Portuguese: prevaricacão (pt) f. Scottish Gaelic: sabotàis (gd) f. Spanish: abuso de autoridad (es)