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

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"His licence was revoked after a string of malpractice complaints."

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 notes

In plain EnglishWhen a professional — usually a doctor or lawyer — does their job so badly or carelessly that someone gets hurt.

Common pairings

medical malpractice malpractice lawsuit malpractice insurance

Word forms

malpractices plural

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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

ice rice mice dice nice vice trice voice price twice juice spice

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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.