MAL

The Greek/Latin root word will help you if you don’t know the definition of the word. The roots that we have learned were PAN, BENE, LOC/LOQ, MAGN, VAC, BREV, DIC/DICT and MAL. You may have seen some of these root words before. The root word of MAL means bad. And these are some examples of the root word MAL.

-Malign (verb): to speak harmful truths about or to speak evil (slander).
- The boy maligns his friend by telling people that he is cheating and nasty.
Malign can also be an adjective too.

-Malign (adjective): evil or injurious in effect
-My ex-girlfriend is very malign to me because she maligns me by telling that I stole her money.
-Malevolent (adjective): wishing evil or harm to others; showing ill will (opposite of benevolent)
-The malevolent stepmother locks Cinderella in the broom closet.
-As she cast her malevolent gaze upon me I could feel my sudden burst of bravado shrinking to nothing.

-Malediction (Noun): a curse or slanderous statement
-The poor boy couldn’t shake the malediction that was put upon him by the witch.
-I am the only warlock in my guild who has all three points invested in the malediction talent, making me very valuable during raids.

-Malice (Noun): desire to inflict injury, harm, or suffering; evil intent.
-Before Jeff accepted religion, he was constantly filled with thoughts of malice.
-The man has the malice to the adversary, so he maligns him by telling lies.

-Malicious (adjective): characterized by or showing malice.
-The malicious man tried to steal the old lady’s glasses, so she wouldn’t be able to see.
-Opening a malicious program on the computer will result in a computer virus.

-Malfeasance (Noun): The performance by a public official of an act that is legally unjustified, harmful, or contrast to law; wrongdoing caused especially of an act in violation of a public trust.
-A large number of Wall Street executives have been guilty of financial malfeasance.

-Malnutrition (Noun): lack of proper nutrition; inadequate or unbalanced nutrition.
-The lack of food leads to malnutrition, which is evidenced by illness and disorder, and ultimately to death by hunger, which is called starvation.

-Malcontent (adjective): not satisfied or content with currently prevailing conditions or circumstances, dissatisfied with the existing government, administration, system, etc.
-Apart from saving lives, the doctor lives a malcontent lifestyle living alone in his apartment.

-Malcontent (Noun): a malcontent person, esp. one who is chronically discontented or dissatisfied.
-I am not concerned about a few malcontents; they are just the fly in my rum.

-Malaise (Noun): a condition of general bodily weakness or discomfort, often marking the onset of disease, a vague or unfocused feeling of mental uneasiness, lethargy, or discomfort.
-I need a cure for the malaise afflicting me today.
-My malaise hindered me from attending school today.

-Malady (Noun): any disorder or disease of the body, esp. one that is chronic or deep-seated, any undesirable or disordered condition: social maladies; a malady of the spirit.
-The woman found that the genetic malady she had had since childhood could be cured.

-Maladjusted (Adjective): badly or unsatisfactorily adjusted, esp. in relationship to one's social circumstances, environment, etc.
- He has a very maladjusted family; the only time they converse is when everyone is under the influence of alcohol.
These are the examples of the root word MAL. You might have used the root word MAL before. It’s helpful when you don’t know the word but if you see the root word MAL you can know that the word is negative.

Remember MAL mean bad.

By Too