mala

See also: Appendix:Variations of "mala"

Languages (48)

English

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English

Etymology 1

Learned borrowing from Latin māla (“the cheekbone, jaw”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmeɪ.lə/
• Rhymes: -eɪlə

Noun

mala (plural malae)

1. (zootomy)
   1. A single lobe of an insect's maxilla.
   2. The grinding surface of an insect's mandible.
   3. The third segment of a mandible of some myriapods.

Related terms

• malar

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmæl.ə/

Noun

mala

1. plural of malum

Etymology 3

Transliteration of Sanskrit माला (mālā, “wreath, garland, crown”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈmɑːlɑː/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈmɑlɑ/

Noun

mala (plural malas or mala)

1. (Hinduism, Sikhism) A bead or a set of beads commonly used by Hindus and Buddhists for keeping count while reciting, chanting, or mentally repeating a mantra or the name or names of a deity.

   Synonym: japamala

   • 2021, Ruth Ozeki, The Book of Form and Emptiness, Canongate Books (2022), page 413:

     His words were like beads on the string of a mala, escaping his lips in small puffs of air.

Further reading

• Hindu prayer beads on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Etymology 4

From Western Desert Language, as Pitjantjatjara mala.

Noun

mala (plural malas)

1. A species of hare-wallaby, Lagorchestes hirsutus, of arid Australia.

Etymology 5

Borrowed from Mandarin 麻辣 (málà)

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈmɑːlɑː/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈmɑlɑ/

Noun

mala (uncountable)

1. A seasoning made from Sichuan pepper and chilis.

References

• “mala”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
• “mala”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.

See also

• mala fide (etymologically unrelated)

Anagrams

• amla, ALMA, alma, laam, lama, Amal, Alam, Alma, Lama, LAMA

Asturian

Adjective

mala

1. feminine singular of malu

Azerbaijani

Etymology

From Persian ماله.

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

mala (definite accusative malanı, plural malalar)

1. stucco, plaster

   Synonym: suvaq

2. plasterer's/ mason's trowel

   Synonyms: kəmçə, malakeş

3. harrow

   Synonym: dırmıq

Declension

Declension of mala

	singular	plural
nominative	mala	malalar
definite accusative	malanı	malaları
dative	malaya	malalara
locative	malada	malalarda
ablative	maladan	malalardan
definite genitive	malanın	malaların

Possessive forms of mala

	nominative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	malam	malalarım
sənin (“your”)	malan	malaların
onun (“his/her/its”)	malası	malaları
bizim (“our”)	malamız	malalarımız
sizin (“your”)	malanız	malalarınız
onların (“their”)	malası or malaları	malaları
	accusative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	malamı	malalarımı
sənin (“your”)	malanı	malalarını
onun (“his/her/its”)	malasını	malalarını
bizim (“our”)	malamızı	malalarımızı
sizin (“your”)	malanızı	malalarınızı
onların (“their”)	malasını or malalarını	malalarını
	dative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	malama	malalarıma
sənin (“your”)	malana	malalarına
onun (“his/her/its”)	malasına	malalarına
bizim (“our”)	malamıza	malalarımıza
sizin (“your”)	malanıza	malalarınıza
onların (“their”)	malasına or malalarına	malalarına
	locative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	malamda	malalarımda
sənin (“your”)	malanda	malalarında
onun (“his/her/its”)	malasında	malalarında
bizim (“our”)	malamızda	malalarımızda
sizin (“your”)	malanızda	malalarınızda
onların (“their”)	malasında or malalarında	malalarında
	ablative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	malamdan	malalarımdan
sənin (“your”)	malandan	malalarından
onun (“his/her/its”)	malasından	malalarından
bizim (“our”)	malamızdan	malalarımızdan
sizin (“your”)	malanızdan	malalarınızdan
onların (“their”)	malasından or malalarından	malalarından
	genitive
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	malamın	malalarımın
sənin (“your”)	malanın	malalarının
onun (“his/her/its”)	malasının	malalarının
bizim (“our”)	malamızın	malalarımızın
sizin (“your”)	malanızın	malalarınızın
onların (“their”)	malasının or malalarının	malalarının

Derived terms

• malaçəkən
• malaçı
• malakeş
• malalamaq

Further reading

• “mala” in Obastan.com.

Breton

Etymology

From Middle Breton malaff, from Old Breton maletic, from Proto-Brythonic *malɨd, from Proto-Celtic *meleti.

Verb

mala

1. to grind

Catalan

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central, Balearic) [ˈma.lə]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia) [ˈma.la]

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Old French male.

Noun

mala f (plural males)

1. mailbag

   Synonym: cartera del correu

Related terms

• maleta

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Adjective

mala f sg

1. feminine singular of mal

Cebuano

Alternative forms

• maa

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *maja, compare Central Bikol mara, Yogad maga and Tetum maran.

Pronunciation

• Hyphenation: ma‧la
• IPA^(key): /maˈla/ [mɐˈl̪a]

Adjective

malá (Badlit spelling ᜋᜎ)

1. dry

   Synonym: uga

East Futuna

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *mala, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *malaŋ.

Noun

mala

1. disaster
2. misfortune

Esperanto

Etymology

mal- +‎ -a

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmala/

• Audio 1:

  (file)

• Audio 2:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ala
• Syllabification: ma‧la

Adjective

mala (accusative singular malan, plural malaj, accusative plural malajn)

1. opposite

Faroese

Etymology

From Old Norse mala, from Proto-Germanic *malaną.

Verb

mala (third person singular past indicative mól, third person plural past indicative mólu, supine malið)

1. to grind

Conjugation

Conjugation of mala (group v-58)

infinitive	mala
supine	malið
	present	past
first singular	mali	mól
second singular	melur	mól(st)
third singular	melur	mól
plural	mala	mólu
participle (a26)1	malandi	malin
	imperative
singular	mal!
plural	malið!

¹Only the past participle being declined.

Finnish

Etymology

From English mala, from Martu Wangka mala.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmɑlɑ/, [ˈmɑ̝lɑ̝]
• Rhymes: -ɑlɑ
• Syllabification^(key): ma‧la
• Hyphenation^(key): ma‧la

Noun

mala

1. hare-wallaby (wallaby of the genus Lagorchestes)
2. rufous hare-wallaby, Lagorchestes hirsutus

Declension

Inflection of mala (Kotus type 9/kala, no gradation)
nominative		mala	malat
genitive		malan	malojen
partitive		malaa	maloja
illative		malaan	maloihin
		singular	plural
nominative		mala	malat
accusative	nom.	mala	malat
	gen.	malan
genitive		malan	malojen malain rare
partitive		malaa	maloja
inessive		malassa	maloissa
elative		malasta	maloista
illative		malaan	maloihin
adessive		malalla	maloilla
ablative		malalta	maloilta
allative		malalle	maloille
essive		malana	maloina
translative		malaksi	maloiksi
abessive		malatta	maloitta
instructive		—	maloin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of mala (Kotus type 9/kala, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative malani malani accusative nom. malani malani gen. malani genitive malani malojeni malaini rare partitive malaani malojani inessive malassani maloissani elative malastani maloistani illative malaani maloihini adessive malallani maloillani ablative malaltani maloiltani allative malalleni maloilleni essive malanani maloinani translative malakseni maloikseni abessive malattani maloittani instructive — — comitative — maloineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative malasi malasi accusative nom. malasi malasi gen. malasi genitive malasi malojesi malaisi rare partitive malaasi malojasi inessive malassasi maloissasi elative malastasi maloistasi illative malaasi maloihisi adessive malallasi maloillasi ablative malaltasi maloiltasi allative malallesi maloillesi essive malanasi maloinasi translative malaksesi maloiksesi abessive malattasi maloittasi instructive — — comitative — maloinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative malamme malamme accusative nom. malamme malamme gen. malamme genitive malamme malojemme malaimme rare partitive malaamme malojamme inessive malassamme maloissamme elative malastamme maloistamme illative malaamme maloihimme adessive malallamme maloillamme ablative malaltamme maloiltamme allative malallemme maloillemme essive malanamme maloinamme translative malaksemme maloiksemme abessive malattamme maloittamme instructive — — comitative — maloinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative malanne malanne accusative nom. malanne malanne gen. malanne genitive malanne malojenne malainne rare partitive malaanne malojanne inessive malassanne maloissanne elative malastanne maloistanne illative malaanne maloihinne adessive malallanne maloillanne ablative malaltanne maloiltanne allative malallenne maloillenne essive malananne maloinanne translative malaksenne maloiksenne abessive malattanne maloittanne instructive — — comitative — maloinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative malansa malansa accusative nom. malansa malansa gen. malansa genitive malansa malojensa malainsa rare partitive malaansa malojaan malojansa inessive malassaan malassansa maloissaan maloissansa elative malastaan malastansa maloistaan maloistansa illative malaansa maloihinsa adessive malallaan malallansa maloillaan maloillansa ablative malaltaan malaltansa maloiltaan maloiltansa allative malalleen malallensa maloilleen maloillensa essive malanaan malanansa maloinaan maloinansa translative malakseen malaksensa maloikseen maloiksensa abessive malattaan malattansa maloittaan maloittansa instructive — — comitative — maloineen maloinensa

Synonyms

• (hare-wallaby): jäniskenguru (dated)
• (rufous hare-wallaby): lännenjäniskenguru (dated)

Derived terms

compounds

• harmaamala
• pikkumala
• ruskomala

Galician

Adjective

mala

1. feminine singular of malo

Garo

Verb

mala

1. to crawl

Hawaiian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈma.la/, [ˈmɐ.lə]

Etymology 1

From Proto-Polynesian *mala, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *malaŋ.

Verb

mala

1. (intransitive) bruised
2. aching (as after unaccustomed exercise)
3. stiff and sore

Derived terms

• hoʻomala
• mamala

Etymology 2

From Proto-Polynesian *mara.

Verb

mala

1. (stative) sour (as fermented sweet potatoes)
2. (stative) insipid

References

• Pukui, Mary Kawena; Elbert, Samuel H. (1986), “mala”, in Hawaiian Dictionary, Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, →ISBN

Icelandic

Etymology

From Old Norse mala, from Proto-Germanic *malaną.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmaːla/
• Rhymes: -aːla

Verb

mala (weak verb, third-person singular past indicative malaði, supine malað)

1. to grind

   Synonyms: mylja, steyta

   Hættu að mala kornið!

   Stop grinding the corn!

2. to purr

   Oo, hlustiði á köttinn mala.

   Oh, listen to the cat purr.

3. to blabber, babble, talk

   Synonyms: babla, masa, þvæla, blaðra

   Hann hættir bara ekki að mala.

   He just won't stop babbling!

Conjugation

mala – active voice (germynd)

infinitive nafnháttur		að mala
supine sagnbót		malað
present participle lýsingarháttur nútíðar		malandi
		indicative framsöguháttur			subjunctive viðtengingarháttur
		present nútíð	past þátíð		present nútíð	past þátíð
singular	ég	mala	malaði		mali	malaði
	þú	malar	malaðir		malir	malaðir
	hann, hún, það	malar	malaði		mali	malaði
plural	við	mölum	möluðum		mölum	möluðum
	þið	malið	möluðuð		malið	möluðuð
	þeir, þær, þau	mala	möluðu		mali	möluðu
		imperative boðháttur
singular	þú	mala (þú), malaðu
plural	þið	malið (þið), maliði1

¹ Spoken form, usually not written; in writing, the unappended plural form (optionally followed by the full pronoun) is preferred.

malast – mediopassive voice (miðmynd)

infinitive nafnháttur		að malast
supine sagnbót		malast
present participle lýsingarháttur nútíðar		malandist (rare; see appendix)
		indicative framsöguháttur			subjunctive viðtengingarháttur
		present nútíð	past þátíð		present nútíð	past þátíð
singular	ég	malast	malaðist		malist	malaðist
	þú	malast	malaðist		malist	malaðist
	hann, hún, það	malast	malaðist		malist	malaðist
plural	við	mölumst	möluðumst		mölumst	möluðumst
	þið	malist	möluðust		malist	möluðust
	þeir, þær, þau	malast	möluðust		malist	möluðust
		imperative boðháttur
singular	þú	malast (þú), malastu
plural	þið	malist (þið), malisti1

¹ Spoken form, usually not written; in writing, the unappended plural form (optionally followed by the full pronoun) is preferred.

malaður — past participle (lýsingarháttur þátíðar)

strong declension (sterk beyging)	singular (eintala)			plural (fleirtala)
	masculine (karlkyn)	feminine (kvenkyn)	neuter (hvorugkyn)	masculine (karlkyn)	feminine (kvenkyn)	neuter (hvorugkyn)
nominative (nefnifall)	malaður	möluð	malað	malaðir	malaðar	möluð
accusative (þolfall)	malaðan	malaða	malað	malaða	malaðar	möluð
dative (þágufall)	möluðum	malaðri	möluðu	möluðum	möluðum	möluðum
genitive (eignarfall)	malaðs	malaðrar	malaðs	malaðra	malaðra	malaðra
weak declension (veik beyging)	singular (eintala)			plural (fleirtala)
	masculine (karlkyn)	feminine (kvenkyn)	neuter (hvorugkyn)	masculine (karlkyn)	feminine (kvenkyn)	neuter (hvorugkyn)
nominative (nefnifall)	malaði	malaða	malaða	möluðu	möluðu	möluðu
accusative (þolfall)	malaða	möluðu	malaða	möluðu	möluðu	möluðu
dative (þágufall)	malaða	möluðu	malaða	möluðu	möluðu	möluðu
genitive (eignarfall)	malaða	möluðu	malaða	möluðu	möluðu	möluðu

Derived terms

• mölun
• mal

Ido

Adjective

mala

1. bad

Antonyms

• bona

Derived terms

• maleso

Indonesian

Etymology

From Malay mala, from Classical Malay mala, from Pali mala, from Sanskrit मल (mala).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [mala]
• Hyphenation: ma‧la

Adjective

mala

1. (obsolete) dirty, impurity
2. (dated) withered, faded

   Synonyms: layu, merana

Noun

mala

1. (dated) disease

   Synonym: penyakit

2. (dated, poetic or formal) disaster

   Synonyms: bahala, bahaya, bencana, cobaan, dakiat, keapesan, kecelakaan, kegagalan, kemaharan, kemalangan, kemudaratan, kerugian, kesialan, malapetaka, mara

Further reading

• “mala”, in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia [Great Dictionary of the Indonesian Language] (in Indonesian), Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016

Irish

Alternative forms

• malaidh, malaigh, malainn

Etymology

From Old Irish mala, from Proto-Celtic *malaxs, from Proto-Indo-European *ml̥Hdʰo-, shared with Breton malvenn, Old English molda (“forehead”), Ancient Greek βλωθρός (blōthrós, “lofty”), Avestan 𐬐𐬀-𐬨𐬆𐬭𐬆𐬜𐬋 (ka-mər^əδō, “demon's head”).

Pronunciation

• (Munster) IPA^(key): /ˈmˠɑl̪ˠə/
• (Connacht) IPA^(key): /ˈmˠalˠə/, /ˈmˠal̪ˠə/
• (Ulster) IPA^(key): /ˈmˠɔlˠi/, /ˈmˠɔl̪ˠi/ (as if spelled molaidh)

Noun

mala f (genitive singular mala, nominative plural malaí)

1. eyebrow
2. brow (projecting upper edge of a steep place such as a hill)
3. slope, incline

Declension

Declension of mala (fourth declension)

bare forms singular plural nominative mala malaí vocative a mhala a mhalaí genitive mala malaí dative mala malaí forms with the definite article singular plural nominative an mhala na malaí genitive na mala na malaí dative leis an mala don mhala leis na malaí

Derived terms

• mala púiceach (“beetle brow”)

Mutation

Mutated forms of mala

radical	lenition	eclipsis
mala	mhala	not applicable

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Modern Irish.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

Further reading

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977), “mala”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “mala”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
• MacBain, Alexander; Mackay, Eneas (1911), “mala”, in An Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language‎^[1], Stirling, →ISBN

Italian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈma.la/
• Rhymes: -ala
• Hyphenation: mà‧la

Noun

mala f (plural male)

1. underworld, gangland

Anagrams

• alma, lama

Javanese

Romanization

mala

1. romanization of ꦩꦭ

Kashubian

Etymology

Deverbal from malowac. Compare Masovian Polish mala.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈma.la/
• Rhymes: -ala
• Syllabification: ma‧la

Noun

mala f

1. (Canada) paint

Further reading

• Stanislow Frymark (2020), “mala”, in Kashubian Language in Canada, the USA and New Zealand; Lexical Interferences in Kashubian Language in Canada, the USA and New Zealand, Zómk Zôbòrsczi, →ISBN

Latin

Etymology 1

From Proto-Italic *smakslā, from Proto-Indo-European *smeḱ- (“beard”) as *smḱ- (“beard”) +‎ *-sleh₂-; cognate with Sanskrit श्मश्रु (śmaśru, “beard”)).

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [ˈmaː.ɫa]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [ˈmaː.la]

Noun

māla f (genitive mālae); first declension

1. (anatomy) the cheekbone, jaw
2. (transferred sense, chiefly in the plural) a cheek
   • c. 190 BCE – 185 BCE, Plautus, Amphitryon 443–445:

     Tam consimile'st atque ego: sūra, pēs, statūra, tōnsus, oculī, nāsus, vel labra, mālae, mentum, barba, collum - tōtus!

     He's so similar to me: his calves, feet, height, haircut, eyes, nose, lips, cheeks, chin, beard, neck - all of it!

Inflection

First-declension noun.

	singular	plural
nominative	māla	mālae
genitive	mālae	mālārum
dative	mālae	mālīs
accusative	mālam	mālās
ablative	mālā	mālīs
vocative	māla	mālae

Derived terms

• mālāris (adjective)
• māxilla (diminutive)

Descendants

• → English: mala, ⇒ malar

References

• “mala”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “mala”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891), An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• Zoëga, Geir T. (1910), “mala”, in A Concise Dictionary of Old Icelandic, Oxford: Clarendon Press; also available at the Internet Archive
• "mala", in Charles du Fresne du Cange, Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition with additions by D. P. Carpenterius, Adelungius and others, edited by Léopold Favre, 1883–1887)
• “mala”, in Gaffiot, Félix (1934), Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
• Carl Meißner; Henry William Auden (1894), Latin Phrase-Book‎^[2], London: Macmillan and Co.
  • (ambiguous) to be broken down by misfortune: in malis iacere
    
  • (ambiguous) to be hard pressed by misfortune: malis urgeri
    
  • (ambiguous) to have a good or bad reputation, be spoken well, ill of: bona, mala existimatio est de aliquo
    
  • (ambiguous) moral science; ethics: philosophia, in qua de bonis rebus et malis, deque hominum vita et moribus disputatur
    
  • (ambiguous) to take a thing in good (bad) part: in bonam (malam) partem accipere aliquid
    
  • (ambiguous) a guilty conscience: conscientia mala or peccatorum, culpae, sceleris, delicti
    
  • (ambiguous) to be tormented by remorse: conscientia mala angi, excruciari
    
  • (ambiguous) to bless (curse) a person: precari alicui bene (male) or omnia bona (mala), salutem
    
  • (ambiguous) from beginning to end: ab ovo usque ad mala (proverb.)
    
• “mala”, in William Smith, editor (1854, 1857), A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography, volume 1 & 2, London: Walton and Maberly

Etymology 2

Borrowing from Frankish *malha (“leather bag”).

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [ˈma.ɫa]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [ˈmaː.la]

Noun

mala f (genitive malae); first declension

2. a bundle, bag

Inflection

First-declension noun.

	singular	plural
nominative	mala	malae
genitive	malae	malārum
dative	malae	malīs
accusative	malam	malās
ablative	malā	malīs
vocative	mala	malae

Descendants

• Old French: male, malle
  • Anglo-Norman: male
    • → Middle English: male
      • English: mail
      • Scots: mail
    • →? Irish: mála (or perhaps via English)
  • Middle French: malle
    • → Catalan: mala
    • French: malle
    • → Portuguese: mala
    • → Spanish: mala
  • Gallo: mol
  • Walloon: male (Forrières)

Etymology 3

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Pronunciation

• mala:
  • (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [ˈma.ɫa]
  • (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [ˈmaː.la]
• malā:
  • (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [ˈma.ɫaː]
  • (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [ˈmaː.la]

Adjective

mala

1. inflection of malus:
   1. nominative/vocative/ablative feminine singular
   2. nominative/accusative/vocative neuter plural

Etymology 4

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [ˈma.ɫa]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [ˈmaː.la]

Noun

mala n

1. nominative/accusative/vocative plural of malum

Latvian

Etymology

From Proto-Indo-European *ml̥Hdʰo-, see also Breton malvenn, Old English molda (“forehead”), Ancient Greek βλωθρός (blōthrós, “lofty”), Avestan 𐬐𐬀-𐬨𐬆𐬭𐬆𐬜𐬋 (ka-mər^əδō, “demon's head”).

(Can this⁽⁺⁾ etymology be sourced?)

Noun

mala f (4th declension)

1. edge, shore

Declension

Declension of mala (4th)

	singular (vienskaitlis)	plural (daudzskaitlis)
nominative	mala	malas
genitive	malas	malu
dative	malai	malām
accusative	malu	malas
instrumental	malu	malām
locative	malā	malās
vocative	mala	malas

Derived terms

• jūrmala
• mežmala

Verb

mala

1. third-person singular/plural present indicative of malt

Further reading

• MacBain, Alexander; Mackay, Eneas (1911), “mala”, in An Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language‎^[3], Stirling, →ISBN, page mala

Lithuanian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈmä̌ːlɐ]

Verb

mãla

1. third-person singular present of malti
2. third-person plural present of malti

Lovono

Noun

mala

1. eye

References

• Alexandre François, The languages of Vanikoro: three lexicons and one grammar

Malay

Etymology

From Sanskrit मल (mala).

Adjective

mala (Jawi spelling مالا, comparative lebih mala, superlative paling mala)

1. (obsolete) dirty, impure

   Synonyms: kotor, cemar

2. (dated) withered, faded

   Synonyms: layu, merana

Noun

mala (Jawi spelling مالا, uncountable)

1. (literary) fault, flaw

   Synonyms: cela, cacat, noda

2. (dated, literary) disease

   Synonym: penyakit

3. (dated) disaster

   Synonyms: bahala, bahaya, bencana, cubaan, kecelakaan, kegagalan, kemalangan, kemudaratan, kerugian, kesialan, malapetaka, mara

Derived terms

• malapetaka
• nirmala

References

• Edi Sedyawati; Ellya Iswati; Kusparyati Boedhijono; Dyah Widjajanti D. (1994), Kosakata Bahasa Sanskerta dalam Bahasa Melayu Masa Kini, Jakarta, Indonesia: Pusat Pembinaan dan Pengembangan Bahasa. Departemen Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan Republik Indonesia, →ISBN, page 110
• Pijnappel, Jan (1875), “مال mala”, in Maleisch-Hollandsch woordenboek, John Enschede en Zonen, Frederik Muller, page 127
• Wilkinson, Richard James (1901), “مال mala”, in A Malay-English dictionary, Hong Kong: Kelly & Walsh limited, page 636
• Wilkinson, Richard James (1932), “mala”, in A Malay-English dictionary (romanised), volume II, Mytilene, Greece: Salavopoulos & Kinderlis, page 94

Further reading

• "mala" in Pusat Rujukan Persuratan Melayu (PRPM) [Malay Literary Reference Centre (PRPM)] (in Malay), Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, 2017

Margi

Noun

mala

1. woman

References

• Carl Hoffmann, A grammar of the Margi language (1963)

Norwegian Nynorsk

Alternative forms

• male

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /²mɑːlɑ/

Etymology 1

From Old Norse mala, from Proto-Germanic *malaną.

Verb

mala (present tense mel, past tense mol, supine male, past participle malen, present participle malande, imperative mal)

1. (transitive) to grind
2. (intransitive) to make a grinding sound, e.g. to purr (of a cat)

Etymology 2

Verb

mala (present tense malar, past tense mala, past participle mala, passive infinitive malast, present participle malande, imperative mala/mal)

1. (pre-2012) alternative form of måla, to paint

References

• “mala” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Old Javanese

Etymology

Borrowed from Sanskrit मल (mala).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ma.la/
• Rhymes: -la
• Homophone: mālā
• Hyphenation: ma‧la

Noun

mala

1. dirt, filth
2. impurity
3. stain
4. defect
5. sin

Derived terms

• kamalan
• mamala

• daśamala
• durmala
• sarwamala
• trimala
• wimala

Descendants

• Javanese: ꦩꦭ (mala)

Further reading

• "mala" in P.J. Zoetmulder with the collaboration of S.O. Robson, Old Javanese-English Dictionary. 's-Gravenhage: M. Nijhoff, 1982.

Old Norse

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *malaną, whence also Old Saxon malan, Old High German malan, Gothic 𐌼𐌰𐌻𐌰𐌽 (malan).

Verb

mala (singular past indicative mól, plural past indicative mólu, past participle malinn)

1. to grind
2. to make a grinding sound, e.g. to purr (of a cat)

Conjugation

Conjugation of mala — active (strong class 6)

infinitive	mala
present participle	malandi
past participle	malinn
	indicative			subjunctive
	present	past		present	past
1st person singular	mel	mól		mala	mǿla
2nd person singular	melr	mólt		malir	mǿlir
3rd person singular	melr	mól		mali	mǿli
1st person plural	mǫlum	mólum		malim	mǿlim
2nd person plural	malið	móluð		malið	mǿlið
3rd person plural	mala	mólu		mali	mǿli
imperative	present
2nd person singular	mal
1st person plural	mǫlum
2nd person plural	malið

Conjugation of mala — mediopassive (strong class 6)

infinitive	malask
present participle	malandisk
past participle	malizk
	indicative			subjunctive
	present	past		present	past
1st person singular	mǫlumk	mólumk		mǫlumk	mǿlumk
2nd person singular	melsk	mólzk		malisk	mǿlisk
3rd person singular	melsk	mólsk		malisk	mǿlisk
1st person plural	mǫlumsk	mólumsk		malimsk	mǿlimsk
2nd person plural	malizk	móluzk		malizk	mǿlizk
3rd person plural	malask	mólusk		malisk	mǿlisk
imperative	present
2nd person singular	malsk
1st person plural	mǫlumsk
2nd person plural	malizk

Descendants

• Icelandic: mala
• Faroese: mala
• Norwegian: male
• Old Swedish: mala
  • Swedish: mala
• Danish: male

Further reading

• “mala”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “mala”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891), An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• Zoëga, Geir T. (1910), “mala”, in A Concise Dictionary of Old Icelandic, Oxford: Clarendon Press; also available at the Internet Archive
• "mala", in Charles du Fresne du Cange, Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition with additions by D. P. Carpenterius, Adelungius and others, edited by Léopold Favre, 1883–1887)
• Carl Meißner; Henry William Auden (1894), Latin Phrase-Book‎^[4], London: Macmillan and Co.
  • (ambiguous) to be broken down by misfortune: in malis iacere
    
  • (ambiguous) to be hard pressed by misfortune: malis urgeri
    
  • (ambiguous) to have a good or bad reputation, be spoken well, ill of: bona, mala existimatio est de aliquo
    
  • (ambiguous) moral science; ethics: philosophia, in qua de bonis rebus et malis, deque hominum vita et moribus disputatur
    
  • (ambiguous) to take a thing in good (bad) part: in bonam (malam) partem accipere aliquid
    
  • (ambiguous) a guilty conscience: conscientia mala or peccatorum, culpae, sceleris, delicti
    
  • (ambiguous) to be tormented by remorse: conscientia mala angi, excruciari
    
  • (ambiguous) to bless (curse) a person: precari alicui bene (male) or omnia bona (mala), salutem
    
  • (ambiguous) from beginning to end: ab ovo usque ad mala (proverb.)
    
• “mala”, in William Smith, editor (1854, 1857), A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography, volume 1 & 2, London: Walton and Maberly

Old Swedish

Etymology

From Old Norse mala, from Proto-Germanic *malaną.

Verb

mala

1. to grind

Conjugation

Conjugation of mala (strong)

	present				past
infinitive	mala				—
participle	malandi, malande				malin
active voice	indicative	subjunctive	imperative		indicative	subjunctive
iæk	mal	mali, male	—		mōl	mōli, mōle
þū	mal	mali, male	mal		mōlt	mōli, mōle
han	mal	mali, male	—		mōl	mōli, mōle
vīr	malum, malom	malum, malom	malum, malom		mōlum, mōlom	mōlum, mōlom
īr	malin	malin	malin		mōlin	mōlin
þēr	mala	malin	—		mōlu, mōlo	mōlin
mediopassive voice	indicative	subjunctive	imperative		indicative	subjunctive
iæk	mals	malis, males	—		mōls	mōlis, mōles
þū	mals	malis, males	—		mōlts	mōlis, mōles
han	mals	malis, males	—		mōls	mōlis, mōles
vīr	malums, -oms	malums, maloms	—		mōlums, mōloms	mōlums, mōloms
īr	malins	malins	—		mōlins	mōlins
þēr	malas	malins	—		mōlus, mōlos	mōlins

Descendants

• Swedish: mala

Pali

Alternative forms

Alternative scripts

• 𑀫𑀮 (Brahmi script)
• मल (Devanagari script)
• মল (Bengali script)
• මල (Sinhalese script)
• မလ (Burmese script)
• มล or มะละ (Thai script)
• ᨾᩃ (Tai Tham script)
• ມລ or ມະລະ (Lao script)
• មល (Khmer script)
• 𑄟𑄣 (Chakma script)

Etymology

Related to Sanskrit मल (mala).

This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term.

Noun

mala n

1. impurity
2. stain
3. rust
4. dirt
5. dung

Declension

Declension table of "mala" (neuter)

Case \ Number	Singular	Plural
Nominative (first)	malaṃ	malāni
Accusative (second)	malaṃ	malāni
Instrumental (third)	malena	malehi or malebhi
Dative (fourth)	malassa or malāya or malatthaṃ	malānaṃ
Ablative (fifth)	malasmā or malamhā or malā	malehi or malebhi
Genitive (sixth)	malassa	malānaṃ
Locative (seventh)	malasmiṃ or malamhi or male	malesu
Vocative (calling)	mala	malāni

Pitjantjatjara

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈmɐlɐ]

Noun

mala

1. rufous hare-wallaby (Lagorchestes hirsutus)

References

• Paul A. Eckert (2007), Pitjantjatjara / Yankunytjatjara Picture Dictionary‎^[5], IAD Press, →ISBN

Polish

Etymology

Deverbal from malować. Compare Kashubian mala.

Pronunciation

• (Masovia):
  • (Near Masovian) IPA^(key): [ˈma.la]

Noun

mala f

1. (Near Masovian, Garwolin County) synonym of farba

Further reading

• Hieronim Łopaciński (1892), “mala”, in “Przyczynki do nowego słownika języka polskiego (słownik wyrazów ludowych z Lubelskiego i innych okolic Królestwa Polskiego)”, in Prace Filologiczne (in Polish), volume 4, Warsaw: skł. gł. w Księgarni E. Wende i Ska, page 215

Portuguese

Etymology

Borrowed from French malle (“large suitcase; trunk”), from Middle French malle, from Old French male (“leather bag, leather or wooden travel-case”), from Frankish *malha (“leather bag”), from Proto-Germanic *malhō (“leather bag”), from Proto-Indo-European *molko- (“leather bag”).

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈma.lɐ/

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈma.lɐ/
  • (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈma.la/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈma.lɐ/

• Audio (Portugal (Porto)):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -alɐ
• Hyphenation: ma‧la

Noun

mala f (plural malas)

1. suitcase
2. (travel) luggage
3. (automotive) boot, trunk
4. (chiefly Portugal) handbag

   Synonyms: bolsa, maleta, saco

Noun

mala m or f by sense (plural malas)

1. (Brazil, idiomatic) an irritating person

References

• “mala”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026
• “mala”, in Dicionário infopédia da Lingua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Porto: Porto Editora, 2003–2026
• “mala”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026

Pukapukan

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *mala, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *malaŋ.

Verb

mala

1. (stative) be unlucky, unfortunate
2. to have bad luck

Further reading

• Pukapuka Dictionary

Romanian

Etymology

Ottoman Turkish ماله (mala), from Persian ماله (mâle).

Noun

mala f (plural malale)

1. trowel

Declension

	singular			plural
	indefinite	definite		indefinite	definite
nominative-accusative	mala	malaua		malale	malalele
genitive-dative	malale	malalei		malale	malalelor
vocative	mala			malalelor

Samoan

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *mala, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *malaŋ.

Noun

mala

1. calamity

Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

From Old Irish mala, from Proto-Celtic *malax, from Proto-Indo-European *ml̥Hdʰo-, see also Breton malvenn, Old English molda (“forehead”), Ancient Greek βλωθρός (blōthrós, “lofty”), Avestan 𐬐𐬀-𐬨𐬆𐬭𐬆𐬜𐬋 (ka-mər^əδō, “demon's head”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmãl̪ˠə/, [ˈmɑ̃l̪ˠə]

Noun

mala f (genitive singular mala, plural malaichean or malaidhean)

1. brow
   1. (anatomy) eyebrow
   2. (geography, of hill) brow; slope, incline

Usage notes

• The plural is mailghean in Argyll.

Mutation

Mutation of mala

radical	lenition
mala	mhala

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Scottish Gaelic.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

Further reading

• Edward Dwelly (1911), “mala”, in Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan [The Illustrated Gaelic–English Dictionary], 10th edition, Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, →ISBN
• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “mala”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
• MacBain, Alexander; Mackay, Eneas (1911), “mala”, in An Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language‎^[6], Stirling, →ISBN

Serbo-Croatian

Adjective

mala (Cyrillic spelling мала)

1. inflection of mal:
   1. feminine nominative/vocative singular
   2. indefinite masculine/neuter genitive singular
   3. indefinite animate masculine accusative singular
   4. neuter nominative/accusative/vocative plural

Sicilian

Etymology

From Latin malus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈma.la/
• Hyphenation: mà‧la

Adjective

mala f sg

1. feminine singular of malu; bad

Slovak

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mala/, [ˈmala]
• Rhymes: -ala
• Hyphenation: ma‧la

Participle

mala

1. feminine singular l-participle of mať

Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmala/ [ˈma.la]
• Rhymes: -ala
• Syllabification: ma‧la

Etymology 1

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Noun

mala f (plural malas)

1. female equivalent of malo

Adjective

mala f

1. feminine singular of malo

Etymology 2

Borrowed from French malle (“large suitcase; trunk”), from Middle French malle, from Old French male (“leather bag, leather or wooden travel-case”), from Frankish *malha (“leather bag”), from Proto-Germanic *malhō (“leather bag”), from Proto-Indo-European *molko- (“leather bag”).

Noun

mala f (plural malas)

1. suitcase

   Synonyms: maleta, valija

2. mailbag

   Synonyms: saca de correos, saca postal, valija

3. mail, post

   Synonym: correo

Further reading

• “mala”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025

Swedish

malen svartpeppar [ground black pepper] (sense 1)

Etymology

From Old Swedish mala, from Old Norse mala, from Proto-Germanic *malaną.

Verb

mala (present mal, preterite malde, supine malt, imperative mal)

2. to grind (crush into small particles)
3. (sometimes with på) to speak ceaselessly, usually about one single subject
4. to go on incessantly (more generally, of thoughts, pain, or the like)

Usage notes

An alternative form for the present tense is maler, and an alternative form for the past participle (which is only used in the sense of grinding) is malen.

Conjugation

Conjugation of mala (weak)

	active		passive
infinitive	mala		malas
supine	malt		malts
imperative	mal		—
imper. plural1	malen		—
	present	past	present	past
indicative	mal	malde	mals, males	maldes
ind. plural1	mala	malde	malas	maldes
subjunctive2	male	malde	males	maldes
present participle		malande
past participle		malen, mald

¹ Archaic. ² Dated. See the appendix on Swedish verbs.

Derived terms

• finmalen (“finely ground”)
• grovmalen (“coarsely ground”)
• varken hackat eller malet

Related terms

• malström

References

• mala in Svensk ordbok (SO)
• mala in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
• mala in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)

Anagrams

• Alma, lama

Tokelauan

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *mala. Cognates include Hawaiian mala and Samoan mala.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈma.la]
• Hyphenation: ma‧la

Noun

mala

1. misfortune, bad luck
2. disaster, tragedy
3. plague, epidemic

Verb

mala

1. (stative) to be unlucky
2. (intransitive) to bring bad luck

Further reading

• R. Simona, editor (1986), Tokelau Dictionary‎^[7], Auckland: Office of Tokelau Affairs, page 209

Tongan

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *mala, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *malaŋ.

Noun

mala

1. misfortune, bad luck
2. disaster

Turkish

Etymology

Inherited from Ottoman Turkish ماله (mala), itself from Persian ماله (mâle, “trowel”).

Noun

mala (definite accusative malayı, plural malalar)

1. trowel, a plasterer's tool used in spreading and dressing mortar

Declension

Declension of mala

singular plural nominative mala malalar definite accusative malayı malaları dative malaya malalara locative malada malalarda ablative maladan malalardan genitive malanın malaların Possessive forms nominative singular plural 1st singular malam malalarım 2nd singular malan malaların 3rd singular malası malaları 1st plural malamız malalarımız 2nd plural malanız malalarınız 3rd plural malaları malaları definite accusative singular plural 1st singular malamı malalarımı 2nd singular malanı malalarını 3rd singular malasını malalarını 1st plural malamızı malalarımızı 2nd plural malanızı malalarınızı 3rd plural malalarını malalarını dative singular plural 1st singular malama malalarıma 2nd singular malana malalarına 3rd singular malasına malalarına 1st plural malamıza malalarımıza 2nd plural malanıza malalarınıza 3rd plural malalarına malalarına locative singular plural 1st singular malamda malalarımda 2nd singular malanda malalarında 3rd singular malasında malalarında 1st plural malamızda malalarımızda 2nd plural malanızda malalarınızda 3rd plural malalarında malalarında ablative singular plural 1st singular malamdan malalarımdan 2nd singular malandan malalarından 3rd singular malasından malalarından 1st plural malamızdan malalarımızdan 2nd plural malanızdan malalarınızdan 3rd plural malalarından malalarından genitive singular plural 1st singular malamın malalarımın 2nd singular malanın malalarının 3rd singular malasının malalarının 1st plural malamızın malalarımızın 2nd plural malanızın malalarınızın 3rd plural malalarının malalarının

Derived terms

• malalamak

Further reading

• Çağbayır, Yaşar (2007), “mala1”, in Ötüken Türkçe Sözlük (in Turkish), volume 1, Istanbul: Ötüken Neşriyat, page 3034
• Nişanyan, Sevan (2002–), “mala”, in Nişanyan Sözlük

Tuvaluan

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *mala, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *malaŋ.

Noun

mala

1. plague

Wolof

Noun

mala (definite form mala mi)

1. animal