malfunction

English
WOTD – 7 March 2008

Etymology
A malfunctioning electronic display at Bras Basah MRT Station in Singapore

From mal- (“bad, incorrect”) + function

Pronunciation
  • (Received Pronunciation, US) IPA(key): /ˌmælˈfʌŋk.ʃən/
  • Audio (US)(file)
  • Audio (AU)(file)
  • Rhymes: -ʌŋkʃən

Noun

malfunction (plural malfunctions)

  1. faulty functioning
  2. failure to function

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

malfunction (third-person singular simple present malfunctions, present participle malfunctioning, simple past and past participle malfunctioned)

  1. to function improperly
    She told him the machine was poorly built, but they both knew that she was the one who had malfunctioned.
  2. to fail to function

Translations
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