Măl.

A prefix in composition denoting ill, or evil, Fr. mal, Lat. male, adv., from malus, bad, ill. In some words it has the form male, as in malediction, malevolent.

☞ The form male is chiefly used in cases where the e, either alone or with other letters, is pronounced as a separate syllable, as in malediction, malefactor, maleficent, &c. Where this is not the case, as in malfeasance, or male-feasance, malformation, or male-formation, &c., as also where the word to which it is prefixed commences with a vowel, as in maladministration, &c., the form mal is greatly to be preferred, and is the one most commonly employed.