malfunction C1 Topic:Work & Careers US /mælˈfʌŋkʃən/ UK /ˌmælˈfʌŋk.ʃən/ See IPA manual Freq #11712 Meanings 1 verb To stop working properly or fail to work at all. The printer malfunctioned and jammed halfway through the job. 2 noun A failure to work correctly. A software malfunction grounded several flights. Thesaurus Synonyms 1 verb · to stop working properly or... misfunction 2 noun · a failure to work correctly. dysfunction Word family Forms malfunctionedmalfunctioningmalfunctions Derived forms malfunctionalmalfunctioner Etymology AI details From mal- (“bad, incorrect”) + function. Topics Work & Careers Word Formation & Derivatives External links Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary Google Images # malfunction **Type:** Word **Level:** C1 **Part of speech:** verb, noun **IPA (US):** /mælˈfʌŋkʃən/ **IPA (UK):** /ˌmælˈfʌŋk.ʃən/ **Frequency rank:** 11712 ## Meanings 1. To stop working properly or fail to work at all. 2. A failure to work correctly. ## Examples - The printer malfunctioned and jammed halfway through the job. - A software malfunction grounded several flights. ## Derived Forms - malfunctional - malfunctioner ## Roots and Affixes - Affix: mal- - bad ## Etymology From mal- (“bad, incorrect”) + function. ## AI Etymology Malfunction is from mal- (“bad, incorrect”) + function. In present-day use, it can mean to stop working properly or fail to work at all, or a failure to work correctly. Derived formations include malfunctional, malfunctioner. ## Topics - Work & Careers - Word Formation & Derivatives markdown