noun
Uncommon
malpractice
Malpractice (noun) means Improper or negligent treatment of a patient by a doctor or other professional, causing harm. Example: “The family sued the hospital for medical malpractice.”
noun
1
Improper or negligent treatment of a patient by a doctor or other professional, causing harm.
"The family sued the hospital for medical malpractice."
"His licence was revoked after a string of malpractice complaints."
2
More broadly, unethical or improper conduct by someone in a position of professional trust.
"The lawyer faced a malpractice suit over mishandled funds."
How to use malpractice
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishWhen a professional — usually a doctor or lawyer — does their job so badly or carelessly that someone gets hurt.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
medical malpractice
malpractice lawsuit
malpractice insurance
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Word forms
- Plural
- malpractices
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The family sued the hospital for medical _____.
Etymology
From mal- ("bad") plus "practice."
Rhymes for malpractice
See all rhymes for malpractice →Frequently asked questions
What does “malpractice” mean?
The word “malpractice” means improper or negligent treatment of a patient by a doctor or other professional, causing harm. In plain terms, when a professional — usually a doctor or lawyer — does their job so badly or carelessly that someone gets hurt.
How do you use “malpractice” in a sentence?
Here is “malpractice” used in a sentence: “The family sued the hospital for medical malpractice.”
What part of speech is “malpractice”?
“Malpractice” is a noun.
Is “malpractice” a common word?
“Malpractice” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “malpractice” have?
“Malpractice” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: improper or negligent treatment of a patient by a doctor or other professional, causing harm.
