malpractice

noun

mal·​prac·​tice ˌmal-ˈprak-təs How to pronounce malpractice (audio)
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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 Both parties are guilty of this economic malpractice. Bloomberg Opinion, Twin Cities, 13 Oct. 2024 This is why the Tolkien estate closely guarded its intellectual property for so long, and serves now as glaring evidence of the kind of creative malpractice its former stewards were concerned about. Erik Kain, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for malpractice 

Word History

First Known Use

1671, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of malpractice was in 1671

Dictionary Entries Near malpractice

Cite this Entry

“Malpractice.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/malpractice. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

malpractice

noun
mal·​prac·​tice (ˈ)mal-ˈprak-təs How to pronounce malpractice (audio)
: violation of professional standards especially by carelessness or improper conduct

Medical Definition

malpractice

1 of 2 noun
mal·​prac·​tice (ˈ)mal-ˈprak-təs How to pronounce malpractice (audio)
: 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 How to pronounce malpractice (audio)
: 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
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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