Cruel or violent treatment of a person or animal; abuse. It refers to any form of harmful, neglectful, or inappropriate treatment that causes physical or emotional harm.
Formed from the prefix mal- (bad, badly) + treatment, literally meaning 'bad treatment.' The word developed in English by combining the Latin prefix indicating badness with the native English word for how someone is handled or cared for.
This one's straightforward - MAL (bad) + TREATMENT = bad treatment. Think of it as the opposite of good treatment. It's commonly used in legal, medical, and social work contexts to describe various forms of abuse or neglect.
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