malpractice
noun
mal·prac·tice
ˌmal-ˈprak-təs
1
: a dereliction of professional duty or a failure to exercise an ordinary degree of professional skill or learning by one (such as a physician) rendering professional services which results in injury, loss, or damage
2
: an injurious, negligent, or improper practice : malfeasance
Examples of malpractice in a Sentence
a surgeon accused of malpractice
Doctors need to have malpractice insurance to protect themselves against lawsuits.
Recent Examples on the Web
The parents of a newborn who died at Ascension Columbia St. Mary's hospital a day after her birth have filed a medical malpractice suit against the hospital, medical staff members, insurance companies and the Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers, where the mother received prenatal care.
—Jessica Van Egeren, Journal Sentinel, 14 Nov. 2024
Last November, Fails reached out to medical malpractice lawyers to see about getting justice through the courts.
—Lizzie Presser and Kavitha Surana, CNN, 3 Nov. 2024
As a result, even though she was physically injured and was essentially seeking compensation for her physical injury, her legal malpractice settlement was taxed.
—Robert W. Wood, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
But his efforts are short-lived, especially when Alice inadvertently gets him to promise to keep committing therapist malpractice.
—Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2024
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Word History
First Known Use
1671, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Dictionary Entries Near malpractice
Cite this Entry
“Malpractice.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/malpractice. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.
Kids Definition
malpractice
noun
mal·prac·tice
(ˈ)mal-ˈprak-təs
: violation of professional standards especially by carelessness or improper conduct
Medical Definition
malpractice
1 of 2 noun
mal·prac·tice
(ˈ)mal-ˈprak-təs
: a dereliction of professional duty or a failure to exercise an accepted degree of professional skill or learning by a physician rendering professional services which results in injury, loss, or damage
malpractice
2 of 2 intransitive verb
malpracticed; malpracticing
: to engage in or commit malpractice
Legal Definition
malpractice
noun
mal·prac·tice
ˌmal-ˈprak-təs
: negligence, misconduct, lack of ordinary skill, or a breach of duty in the performance of a professional service (as in medicine) resulting in injury or loss
More from Merriam-Webster on malpractice
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for malpractice
Nglish: Translation of malpractice for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of malpractice for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about malpractice
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