malfeasance

C2+ Topic:Law & Government

US /mælˈfizəns/ UK /mælˈfiːzəns/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
wrongdoing, especially misconduct by a public official

The auditor uncovered widespread financial malfeasance.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · wrongdoing, especially... wrongdoing misconduct corruption misdeed improprietywrongful conduct

Opposites

probity integrity rectitude

Word family

Derived forms malfeasant

Related forms misfeasancenonfeasancefeasance

Etymology

From Anglo-French malfaisance, from mal ('badly') + faisance ('doing'), from faire ('to do'), from Latin facere ('to do, make').

malfaisance Old French male Middle English facere Latin

View etymology graph ->

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# malfeasance

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /mælˈfizəns/
**IPA (UK):** /mælˈfiːzəns/

## Meanings
1. wrongdoing, especially misconduct by a public official

## Examples
- The auditor uncovered widespread financial malfeasance.

## Synonyms
- wrongdoing
- misconduct
- corruption
- misdeed
- impropriety
- wrongful conduct

## Antonyms
- probity
- integrity
- rectitude

## Derived Forms
- malfeasant

## Related Forms
- misfeasance
- nonfeasance
- feasance

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: malfaisance
- Root: male
- Root: facere

## Etymology
From Anglo-French malfaisance, from mal ('badly') + faisance ('doing'), from faire ('to do'), from Latin facere ('to do, make').

## AI Etymology
Malfeasance comes from Anglo-French malfaisance, from mal ('badly') + faisance ('doing'), from faire ('to do'), from Latin facere ('to do, make'). The form is best read as a historical transfer or inheritance, with its older language material carrying the main semantic load. As a noun, it carries the sense "wrongdoing, especially misconduct by a public official", with the older formation still helping explain the modern use. Relevant historical forms include Old French malfaisance, Latin male, and Latin facere. Derivative forms include malfeasant; related words include misfeasance, nonfeasance, feasance.

## Topics
- Law & Government

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malfeasance

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