A malfunction is when a machine or system stops working correctly or fails to work at all. To malfunction means to have this kind of failure.
From the prefix 'mal-' meaning 'bad' and 'function' meaning 'to work or operate'. It entered English in the 20th century, modeled on scientific and technical language that liked clear Latin-based combinations.
When you see 'malfunction', think 'bad function'—the word literally tells you what’s wrong. Spotting the 'mal-' prefix helps you guess meanings in hundreds of other words, especially in technical or sci‑fi contexts.
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