Where does “malidentification” come from?

malidentification (English) comes from English mal, from French mal, from Old French mal, from Latin malleus, from Proto-Indo-European melh₂-no-, from Proto-Indo-European melh₂-, from Proto-Indo-European mel-, from Proto-Indo-European mey- — to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange.

Ancestry of “malidentification”, step by step

malidentification traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English mal

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishmalillness, affliction; A longboard; Malleolus
2Frenchmaltrouble, difficulty; pain; evil
3Old Frenchmalevilly; badly; poorly; evil
4Latinmalleushammer, mallet; a disease of animals; the...
5Proto-Indo-Europeanmelh₂-no-
6Proto-Indo-Europeanmelh₂-to grind, to crush
7Proto-Indo-Europeanmel-soft; tender; weak; to deceive; to rub
8Proto-Indo-Europeanmey-to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange

via English identification

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishidentificationThe act of identifying, or proving to be the...
2Frenchidentificationidentification
3Latinidentificare
Every word from Proto-Indo-European mey-Every word from Proto-Indo-European mel-Every word from Proto-Indo-European melh₂-
malidentification — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer