[ˈma.ɫʊs], [ˈmaː.lus]
OriginFrom Proto-Italic *malos, related to Oscan mallom and mallud (“bad”), probably from Proto-Indo-European *(s)mel- (“false, bad”), cognate with Old Irish mell (“destruction”), Ancient Greek μέλεος (méleos, “idle, unhappy”), Lithuanian mẽlas (“lie”), and the first element of Ancient Greek βλάσφημος (blásphēmos, “jinx”). Alternatively, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)mal- (“small”), in which case it would then be cognate with English small.
Earlier associated with Ancient Greek μέλας (mélas, “black, dark”), but support for this is waning. Also compare Avestan 𐬨𐬀𐬌𐬭𐬌𐬌𐬀 (maⁱriia, “treacherous”) and Sanskrit मल (mala, “dirtiness, impurity”).
- adjective, declension-1, declension-2unpleasant, distressing, painful, nasty, bad
“Abī in malam crucem, malum cruciātum.” — Go away to a bad cross, bad crucifixion. [A saying referring back to a Roman army post-defeat mass fratricide/suicide act (to avoid a worse fate from the enemy victors; i.e., our own Roman engineered
“Mala rēs.” — Trouble, bad business.
“Mala aetās.” — Old age.
- adjective, declension-1, declension-2unpleasant to the senses, sight, smell, taste, touch
“Mala faciēs.” — Ugly face.
- adjective, declension-1, declension-2bad, evil, wicked, mischievous
“Malus et nēquam homō.” — An evil and wicked man.
“Dolus malus.” — Deliberate deception, malice afterthought (legal language).
“Mala mēns, malus animus.” — An evil mind, an evil heart.
(In other words, what one says and does reveal that person’s inner character.)
- adjective, declension-1, declension-2destructive, hurtful, noxious, evil
“Consuētūdō mala.” — A bad habit.
“Mala vōta, carmina susurrāre.” — To whisper evil spells, incantations.
- adjective, declension-1, declension-2unkind, hostile, abusive
- adjective, declension-1, declension-2associated with bad luck, unlucky, unfavourable, unfortunate, adverse, evil
“Mala tempestās.” — Bad, unfavourable, unsuitable weather.
“Malam fāmam ferre.” — To bring bad reputation, ill fame.
“Malīs avibus.” — Under evil auspices.
- adjective, declension-1, declension-2poor in condition or capacity, inept
“Mala merx/mers.” — A bad lot (of persons).
“Malā mente esse.” — To be out of one's mind.
“Pessimus poēta.” — The worst poet.
- declension-2an apple tree; specifically, a plant in the genus Malus in the family Rosaceae.
“Malus bifera.” — An apple tree bearing fruit biannually.
“Et steriles platani malos gessere valentes.” — And the fruitless plane trees have borne strong apple trees.
“Felices arbores putantur esse quercus vel malus.” — The fruitful trees are thought to be an oak or apple tree.
- declension-2a mast of a ship
“Antemnas ad malos destinare.” — To fasten the sails to the masts.
“Malum erigi imperavit.” — He has ordered the mast to be erected.
“Attolli malos.” — The masts are lifted.
- declension-2a standard or pole to which the awnings spread over the theater were attached
- declension-2the beam in the middle of a winepress
- declension-2the corner beams of a tower
“Turrium mali.” — Beams of the towers.
“nostrarum turrium altitudinem … commissis suarum turrium malis adaequabant” — They equaled the height of our towers … by the beams of their towers spliced together
Formsmala(feminine) · malum(neuter) · peior(comparative) · pessimus(superlative) · male(adverb) · malus(masculine, nominative, singular) · mala(feminine, nominative, singular) · malum(neuter, nominative, singular) · malī(masculine, nominative, plural) · malae(feminine, nominative, plural) · mala(neuter, nominative, plural) · malī(genitive, masculine, singular) · malae(feminine, genitive, singular) · malī(genitive, neuter, singular) · malōrum(genitive, masculine, plural) · malārum(feminine, genitive, plural) · malōrum(genitive, neuter, plural) · malō(dative, masculine, singular) · malae(dative, feminine, singular) · malō(dative, neuter, singular)