malfeasance
mal-FEE-zuhns
/ˌmælˈfiː.zəns/
Wrongdoing or misconduct, especially by a public official.
Formal legal term specifically for intentional commission of an unlawful act by a public officer.
The story behind the word. From Anglo-French 'malfeasance', from French 'mal' (evil, bad) and 'faisance' (doing, from Latin 'facere' to do). Literally translates to 'bad-doing'.
Word relationships
- misconduct: Misconduct is general bad behavior; malfeasance is an intentional unlawful act performed in an official capacity.
- wrongdoing: Wrongdoing is a broader everyday term for illegal or immoral behavior.
- probity: Absolute uprightness and strict adherence to official duties.
Commonly confused with
- misfeasance: Malfeasance is doing an illegal act; misfeasance is doing a legal act in an improper or negligent way.
Word family
- malfeasor (noun): A person who commits malfeasance.
Collocations
- official malfeasance
- guilty of malfeasance
- malfeasance in office
- allegations of malfeasance
Idioms & expressions
- breach of public trust
Example sentences
- "The mayor was removed from office following a grand jury indictment for official malfeasance in allocating municipal funds." Public Administration
- "Shareholders filed a derivative lawsuit alleging corporate malfeasance by executive officers." Corporate Law
Memory hook
MAL-FEASANCE = MAL (bad) FEAT/DOING by an official. Intentional wrongdoing by an official.
When not to use
Do not confuse with 'misfeasance' (performing a lawful act improperly) or 'nonfeasance' (failing to perform a required duty).
Fun facts
- In legal law, public officers can be prosecuted for 'malfeasance in office' even if they did not personally gain financially, as long as the act was unlawful.
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