Where does “malfunction” come from?
Malfunction derives from Middle French mal- (badly) combined with function, which comes from Latin function, ultimately tracing to Latin fungor (to perform or discharge).
malfunction (English): faulty functioning; failure to function; to...
Definitions
- faulty functioning; failure to function; to...
Ancestry of “malfunction”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | function | What something does or is used for; A... |
| 2 | Middle French | function | function what something's intended use is |
| 3 | Latin | functiō | performance, execution (of a task) |
| 4 | Latin | -tiō | tion, -ation, -ing |
| 5 | Latin | dissertātiō | (spoken) dissertation, discourse, disquisition |
| 6 | Latin | dissertus | arranged, disposed; explained |
| 7 | Latin | disserere | second-person singular future passive indicative... |
| 8 | Latin | dis- | asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;... |
| 9 | Latin | calceus | shoe |
| 10 | Latin | calx | limestone; chalk; the finish line |
| 11 | Ancient Greek | χάλιξ | small stone, pebble; gravel, rubble |