mala

See also: mála, malá, màla, malā, måla, mālā, mała, małą, mäla, and мала

English

Etymology 1

Borrowing from Latin māla (“the cheekbone, jaw”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmeɪ.lə/
• Rhymes: -eɪlə

Noun

mala (plural malae)

1. (zootomy)
   1. A single lobe of an insect's maxilla.
   2. The grinding surface of an insect's mandible.
   3. The third segment of a mandible of some myriapods.

Related terms

• malar

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmæl.ə/

Noun

mala

1. plural of malum

Etymology 3

Borrowing from Sanskrit माला (mālā, “wreath, garland, crown”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈmɑː.lɑː/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈmɑl.ɑ/

Noun

mala (plural malas or mala)

1. (Hinduism, Sikhism) A bead or a set of beads commonly used by Hindus and Buddhists for keeping count while reciting, chanting, or mentally repeating a mantra or the name or names of a deity.

Further reading

• Hindu prayer beads on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

References

• “mala”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
• “mala”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary

Anagrams

• Alam, Alma, Amal, alma, amla, laam, lama

Asturian

Adjective

mala

1. feminine singular of malu

Azerbaijani

Etymology

From Persian ماله.

Pronunciation

• Audio

  (file)

Noun

mala (definite accusative malanı, plural malalar)

1. stucco, plaster

   Synonym: suvaq

2. plasterer's/ mason's trowel

   Synonyms: kəmçə, malakeş

3. harrow

   Synonym: dırmıq

Declension

Declension of mala
	singular	plural
nominative	mala	malalar
definite accusative	malanı	malaları
dative	malaya	malalara
locative	malada	malalarda
ablative	maladan	malalardan
definite genitive	malanın	malaların

Possessive forms of mala
	nominative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	malam	malalarım
sənin (“your”)	malan	malaların
onun (“his/her/its”)	malası	malaları
bizim (“our”)	malamız	malalarımız
sizin (“your”)	malanız	malalarınız
onların (“their”)	malası or malaları	malaları
	accusative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	malamı	malalarımı
sənin (“your”)	malanı	malalarını
onun (“his/her/its”)	malasını	malalarını
bizim (“our”)	malamızı	malalarımızı
sizin (“your”)	malanızı	malalarınızı
onların (“their”)	malasını or malalarını	malalarını
	dative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	malama	malalarıma
sənin (“your”)	malana	malalarına
onun (“his/her/its”)	malasına	malalarına
bizim (“our”)	malamıza	malalarımıza
sizin (“your”)	malanıza	malalarınıza
onların (“their”)	malasına or malalarına	malalarına
	locative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	malamda	malalarımda
sənin (“your”)	malanda	malalarında
onun (“his/her/its”)	malasında	malalarında
bizim (“our”)	malamızda	malalarımızda
sizin (“your”)	malanızda	malalarınızda
onların (“their”)	malasında or malalarında	malalarında
	ablative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	malamdan	malalarımdan
sənin (“your”)	malandan	malalarından
onun (“his/her/its”)	malasından	malalarından
bizim (“our”)	malamızdan	malalarımızdan
sizin (“your”)	malanızdan	malalarınızdan
onların (“their”)	malasından or malalarından	malalarından
	genitive
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	malamın	malalarımın
sənin (“your”)	malanın	malalarının
onun (“his/her/its”)	malasının	malalarının
bizim (“our”)	malamızın	malalarımızın
sizin (“your”)	malanızın	malalarınızın
onların (“their”)	malasının or malalarının	malalarının

Derived terms

• malaçəkən
• malaçı
• malakeş
• malalamaq

 

Further reading

• “mala” in Obastan.com.

Breton

Etymology

From Middle Breton malaff, from Old Breton maletic, from Proto-Brythonic, from Proto-Celtic *meleti.

Verb

mala

1. to grind

Catalan

Pronunciation

• (Balearic, Central) IPA^(key): /ˈma.lə/
• (Valencian) IPA^(key): /ˈma.la/

Adjective

mala f sg

1. feminine singular of mal

Cebuano

Alternative forms

• maa

Etymology

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *maʀa, compare Bikol Central mara, Yogad maga and Tetum maran.

Adjective

mala

1. dry

East Futuna

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *mala, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *malaŋ.

Noun

mala

1. disaster
2. misfortune

Esperanto

Etymology

mal- +‎ -a

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈmala]
• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ala
• Hyphenation: ma‧la

Adjective

mala (accusative singular malan, plural malaj, accusative plural malajn)

1. opposite

Faroese

Etymology

From Old Norse mala, from Proto-Germanic *malaną.

Verb

mala (third person singular past indicative mól, third person plural past indicative mólu, supine malið)

1. to grind

Conjugation

Conjugation of mala (group v-58)
infinitive	mala
supine	malið
participle (a26)1	malandi	malin
	present	past
first singular	mali	mól
second singular	melur	mól(st)
third singular	melur	mól
plural	mala	mólu
	imperative
singular	mal!
plural	malið!
1Only the past participle being declined.

Finnish

Etymology

From English mala, from Martu Wangka mala.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmɑlɑ/, [ˈmɑlɑ]
• Rhymes: -ɑlɑ
• Syllabification^(key): ma‧la

Noun

mala

1. hare-wallaby (wallaby of the genus Lagorchestes)
2. rufous hare-wallaby, Lagorchestes hirsutus

Declension

Inflection of mala (Kotus type 9/kala, no gradation)
nominative		mala	malat
genitive		malan	malojen
partitive		malaa	maloja
illative		malaan	maloihin
		singular	plural
nominative		mala	malat
accusative	nom.	mala	malat
	gen.	malan
genitive		malan	malojen malainrare
partitive		malaa	maloja
inessive		malassa	maloissa
elative		malasta	maloista
illative		malaan	maloihin
adessive		malalla	maloilla
ablative		malalta	maloilta
allative		malalle	maloille
essive		malana	maloina
translative		malaksi	maloiksi
instructive		—	maloin
abessive		malatta	maloitta
comitative		—	maloineen

Possessive forms of mala (type kala)
possessor	singular	plural
1st person	malani	malamme
2nd person	malasi	malanne
3rd person	malansa

Synonyms

• (hare-wallaby): jäniskenguru (dated)
• (rufous hare-wallaby): lännenjäniskenguru (dated)

Compounds

• harmaamala
• pikkumala
• ruskomala

Galician

Adjective

mala

1. feminine singular of malo

Garo

Verb

mala

1. to crawl

Hawaiian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈma.la/, [ˈmɐlə]

Etymology 1

From Proto-Polynesian *mala, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *malaŋ.

Verb

mala

1. (intransitive) bruised
2. aching (as after unaccustomed exercise)
3. stiff and sore

Derived terms

• hoʻomala
• mamala

Etymology 2

From Proto-Polynesian *mara.

Verb

mala

1. (stative) sour (as fermented sweet potatoes)
2. (stative) insipid

References

• “mala” in the Hawaiian Dictionary, Revised and Enlarged Edition, University of Hawaii Press, 1986

Icelandic

Etymology

From Old Norse mala, from Proto-Germanic *malaną.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmaːla/
• Rhymes: -aːla

Verb

mala (weak verb, third-person singular past indicative malaði, supine malað)

1. to grind

   Hættu að mala kornið!

   Stop grinding the corn!

2. to purr

   Oo, hlustiði á köttinn mala.

   Oh, listen to the cat purr.

3. to blabber, babble, talk

   Hann hættir bara ekki að mala.

   He just won't stop babbling!

Conjugation

mala — active voice (germynd)

infinitive (nafnháttur)		að mala
supine (sagnbót)		malað
present participle (lýsingarháttur nútíðar)		malandi
	indicative (framsöguháttur)			subjunctive (viðtengingarháttur)
present (nútíð)	ég mala	við mölum	present (nútíð)	ég mali	við mölum
	þú malar	þið malið		þú malir	þið malið
	hann, hún, það malar	þeir, þær, þau mala		hann, hún, það mali	þeir, þær, þau mali
past (þátíð)	ég malaði	við möluðum	past (þátíð)	ég malaði	við möluðum
	þú malaðir	þið möluðuð		þú malaðir	þið möluðuð
	hann, hún, það malaði	þeir, þær, þau möluðu		hann, hún, það malaði	þeir, þær, þau möluðu
imperative (boðháttur)	mala (þú)	malið (þið)
	Forms with appended personal pronoun
	malaðu	maliði *
* Spoken form, usually not written; in writing, the unappended plural form (optionally followed by the full pronoun) is preferred.

malast — mediopassive voice (miðmynd)

infinitive (nafnháttur)		að malast
supine (sagnbót)		malast
present participle (lýsingarháttur nútíðar)		malandist ** ** the mediopassive present participle is extremely rare and normally not used; it is never used attributively or predicatively, only for explicatory subclauses
	indicative (framsöguháttur)			subjunctive (viðtengingarháttur)
present (nútíð)	ég malast	við mölumst	present (nútíð)	ég malist	við mölumst
	þú malast	þið malist		þú malist	þið malist
	hann, hún, það malast	þeir, þær, þau malast		hann, hún, það malist	þeir, þær, þau malist
past (þátíð)	ég malaðist	við möluðumst	past (þátíð)	ég malaðist	við möluðumst
	þú malaðist	þið möluðust		þú malaðist	þið möluðust
	hann, hún, það malaðist	þeir, þær, þau möluðust		hann, hún, það malaðist	þeir, þær, þau möluðust
imperative (boðháttur)	malast (þú)	malist (þið)
	Forms with appended personal pronoun
	malastu	malisti *
* Spoken form, usually not written; in writing, the unappended plural form (optionally followed by the full pronoun) is preferred.

malaður — past participle (lýsingarháttur þátíðar)

strong declension (sterk beyging)	singular (eintala)				plural (fleirtala)
	masculine (karlkyn)	feminine (kvenkyn)	neuter (hvorugkyn)		masculine (karlkyn)	feminine (kvenkyn)	neuter (hvorugkyn)
nominative (nefnifall)	malaður	möluð	malað		malaðir	malaðar	möluð
accusative (þolfall)	malaðan	malaða	malað		malaða	malaðar	möluð
dative (þágufall)	möluðum	malaðri	möluðu		möluðum	möluðum	möluðum
genitive (eignarfall)	malaðs	malaðrar	malaðs		malaðra	malaðra	malaðra
weak declension (veik beyging)	singular (eintala)				plural (fleirtala)
	masculine (karlkyn)	feminine (kvenkyn)	neuter (hvorugkyn)		masculine (karlkyn)	feminine (kvenkyn)	neuter (hvorugkyn)
nominative (nefnifall)	malaði	malaða	malaða		möluðu	möluðu	möluðu
accusative (þolfall)	malaða	möluðu	malaða		möluðu	möluðu	möluðu
dative (þágufall)	malaða	möluðu	malaða		möluðu	möluðu	möluðu
genitive (eignarfall)	malaða	möluðu	malaða		möluðu	möluðu	möluðu

Synonyms

• (grind): mylja, steyta
• (babble): babla, masa, þvæla, blaðra

Derived terms

• mölun
• mal

Ido

Adjective

mala

1. bad

Antonyms

• bona

Derived terms

• maleso

Indonesian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [mala]
• Hyphenation: ma‧la

Etymology 1

From Malay mala, from Classical Malay mala, from Pali mala, from Sanskrit मल (mala).

Adjective

mala

1. (obsolete) dirty, impurity

Noun

mala

1. (dated) disease

   Synonym: penyakit

Etymology 2

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Noun

mala

1. (dated) disaster

   Synonyms: bahala, bahaya, bencana, cobaan, dakiat, keapesan, kecelakaan, kegagalan, kemaharan, kemalangan, kemudaratan, kerugian, kesialan, malapetaka, mara

Etymology 3

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Adjective

mala

1. (dated) withered, faded

   Synonyms: layu, merana

Further reading

• “mala” in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia, Jakarta: Language Development and Fostering Agency — Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic Indonesia, 2016.

Irish

Alternative forms

• malaidh, malaigh, malainn

Etymology

From Old Irish mala, from Proto-Celtic *malaxs, from Proto-Indo-European *ml̥Hdʰo-, shared with Breton malvenn, Old English molda (“forehead”), Ancient Greek βλωθρός (blōthrós, “lofty”), Avestan 𐬐𐬀-𐬨𐬆𐬭𐬆𐬜𐬋 (ka-mər^əδō, “demon's head”).

Pronunciation

• (Munster) IPA^(key): /ˈmˠɑl̪ˠə/
• (Connacht) IPA^(key): /ˈmˠalˠə/, /ˈmˠal̪ˠə/
• (Ulster) IPA^(key): /ˈmˠɔlˠi/, /ˈmˠɔl̪ˠi/ (as if spelled molaidh)

Noun

mala f (genitive singular mala, nominative plural malaí)

1. eyebrow
2. brow (projecting upper edge of a steep place such as a hill)
3. slope, incline

Declension

Declension of mala

Fourth declension

Bare forms Case Singular Plural Nominative mala malaí Vocative a mhala a mhalaí Genitive mala malaí Dative mala malaí

Forms with the definite article Case Singular Plural Nominative an mhala na malaí Genitive na mala na malaí Dative leis an mala don mhala leis na malaí

Derived terms

• mala púiceach (“beetle brow”)

Mutation

Irish mutation
Radical	Lenition	Eclipsis
mala	mhala	not applicable
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Further reading

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977), “mala”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• G. Toner, M. Ní Mhaonaigh, S. Arbuthnot, D. Wodtko, M.-L. Theuerkauf, editors (2019), “mala”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
• MacBain, Alexander; Mackay, Eneas (1911), “mala”, in An Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language, Stirling, →ISBN

Italian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈma.la/
• Rhymes: -ala
• Syllabification: mà‧la

Noun

mala f (plural male)

1. underworld, gangland

Anagrams

• alma, lama

Latin

Etymology 1

From Proto-Italic *smakslā, from Proto-Indo-European *smeḱ- (“beard”) as *smḱ- (“beard”) +‎ *-sleh₂-; cognate with Sanskrit श्मश्रु (śmáśru, “beard”)).

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈmaː.la/, [ˈmäːɫ̪ä]
• (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈma.la/, [ˈmäːlä]

Noun

māla f (genitive mālae); first declension

1. (anatomy) the cheekbone, jaw
2. (transferred sense, chiefly in the plural) a cheek
   • c. 190 BCE – 185 BCE, Plautus, Amphitryon 1.1:

     Tam consimile'st atque ego: sūra, pēs, statūra, tōnsus, oculī, nāsus, vel labra, mālae, mentum, barba, collum - tōtus!

     He's so similar to me: his calves, feet, height, haircut, eyes, nose, lips, cheeks, chin, beard, neck - all of it!

Inflection

First-declension noun.

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	māla	mālae
Genitive	mālae	mālārum
Dative	mālae	mālīs
Accusative	mālam	mālās
Ablative	mālā	mālīs
Vocative	māla	mālae

Derived terms

• mālāris (adjective)
• māxilla (diminutive)

Descendants

• → English: mala

References

• “mala”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “mala”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• “mala”, in Geir T. Zoëga (1910) A Concise Dictionary of Old Icelandic, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• mala in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition with additions by D. P. Carpenterius, Adelungius and others, edited by Léopold Favre, 1883–1887)
• mala in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette
• Carl Meißner; Henry William Auden (1894) Latin Phrase-Book‎^[1], London: Macmillan and Co.
  • (ambiguous) to be broken down by misfortune: in malis iacere
    
  • (ambiguous) to be hard pressed by misfortune: malis urgeri
    
  • (ambiguous) to have a good or bad reputation, be spoken well, ill of: bona, mala existimatio est de aliquo
    
  • (ambiguous) moral science; ethics: philosophia, in qua de bonis rebus et malis, deque hominum vita et moribus disputatur
    
  • (ambiguous) to take a thing in good (bad) part: in bonam (malam) partem accipere aliquid
    
  • (ambiguous) a guilty conscience: conscientia mala or peccatorum, culpae, sceleris, delicti
    
  • (ambiguous) to be tormented by remorse: conscientia mala angi, excruciari
    
  • (ambiguous) to bless (curse) a person: precari alicui bene (male) or omnia bona (mala), salutem
    
  • (ambiguous) from beginning to end: ab ovo usque ad mala (proverb.)
    
• “mala”, in William Smith, editor (1854, 1857) A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography, volume 1 & 2, London: Walton and Maberly

Etymology 2

Borrowing from Frankish *malha (“leather bag”).

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈma.la/, [ˈmäɫ̪ä]
• (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈma.la/, [ˈmäːlä]

Noun

mala f (genitive malae); first declension

2. a bundle, bag

Inflection

First-declension noun.

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	mala	malae
Genitive	malae	malārum
Dative	malae	malīs
Accusative	malam	malās
Ablative	malā	malīs
Vocative	mala	malae

Descendants

• Old French: male, malle
  • Anglo-Norman: male
    • → Middle English: male, maile, mayll, maylle
      • English: mail
      • Scots: mail
    • →? Irish: mála (or perhaps via English)
  • Middle French: malle
    • French: malle
    • → Portuguese: mala
    • → Spanish: mala
  • Gallo: mol
  • Walloon: male (Forrières)

Etymology 3

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Pronunciation

• mala: (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈma.la/, [ˈmäɫ̪ä]
• mala: (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈma.la/, [ˈmäːlä]
• malā: (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈma.laː/, [ˈmäɫ̪äː]
• malā: (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈma.la/, [ˈmäːlä]

Adjective

mala

1. inflection of malus:
   1. nominative/vocative/ablative feminine singular
   2. nominative/accusative/vocative neuter plural

Etymology 4

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈma.la/, [ˈmäɫ̪ä]
• (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈma.la/, [ˈmäːlä]

Noun

mala n

1. nominative/accusative/vocative plural of malum

Latvian

Etymology

From Proto-Indo-European *ml̥Hdʰo-, see also Breton malvenn, Old English molda (“forehead”), Ancient Greek βλωθρός (blōthrós, “lofty”), Avestan 𐬐𐬀-𐬨𐬆𐬭𐬆𐬜𐬋 (ka-mər^əδō, “demon's head”).

Noun

mala f (4th declension)

1. edge, shore

Declension

Declension of mala (4th declension)

	singular (vienskaitlis)	plural (daudzskaitlis)
nominative (nominatīvs)	mala	malas
accusative (akuzatīvs)	malu	malas
genitive (ģenitīvs)	malas	malu
dative (datīvs)	malai	malām
instrumental (instrumentālis)	malu	malām
locative (lokatīvs)	malā	malās
vocative (vokatīvs)	mala	malas

Derived terms

• jūrmala
• mežmala

Verb

mala

1. 3rd person singular present indicative form of malt
2. 3rd person plural present indicative form of malt

References

• MacBain, Alexander; Mackay, Eneas (1911), “mala”, in An Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language, Stirling, →ISBN, page mala

Lithuanian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈmä̌ːlɐ]

Verb

mãla

1. third-person singular present of malti
2. third-person plural present of malti

Lovono

Noun

mala

1. eye

References

• Alexandre François, The languages of Vanikoro: three lexicons and one grammar

Margi

Noun

mala

1. woman

References

• Carl Hoffmann, A grammar of the Margi language (1963)

Norwegian Nynorsk

Alternative forms

• male

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /²mɑːlɑ/

Etymology 1

From Old Norse mala, from Proto-Germanic *malaną.

Verb

mala (present tense mel, past tense mol, supine male, past participle malen, present participle malande, imperative mal)

1. (transitive) to grind
2. (intransitive) to make a grinding sound, e.g. to purr (of a cat)

Etymology 2

Verb

mala (present tense malar, past tense mala, past participle mala, passive infinitive malast, present participle malande, imperative mala/mal)

1. (pre-2012) alternative form of måla, to paint

References

• “mala” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Old Norse

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *malaną, whence also Old Saxon malan, Old High German malan, Gothic 𐌼𐌰𐌻𐌰𐌽 (malan).

Verb

mala (singular past indicative mól, plural past indicative mólu, past participle malinn)

1. to grind
2. to make a grinding sound, e.g. to purr (of a cat)

Conjugation

Conjugation of mala — active (strong class 6)

infinitive	mala
present participle	malandi
past participle	malinn
indicative	present	past
1st-person singular	mel	mól
2nd-person singular	melr	mólt
3rd-person singular	melr	mól
1st-person plural	mǫlum	mólum
2nd-person plural	malið	móluð
3rd-person plural	mala	mólu
subjunctive	present	past
1st-person singular	mala	mǿla
2nd-person singular	malir	mǿlir
3rd-person singular	mali	mǿli
1st-person plural	malim	mǿlim
2nd-person plural	malið	mǿlið
3rd-person plural	mali	mǿli
imperative	present
2nd-person singular	mal
1st-person plural	mǫlum
2nd-person plural	malið

Conjugation of mala — mediopassive (strong class 6)

infinitive	malask
present participle	malandisk
past participle	malizk
indicative	present	past
1st-person singular	mǫlumk	mólumk
2nd-person singular	melsk	mólzk
3rd-person singular	melsk	mólsk
1st-person plural	mǫlumsk	mólumsk
2nd-person plural	malizk	móluzk
3rd-person plural	malask	mólusk
subjunctive	present	past
1st-person singular	mǫlumk	mǿlumk
2nd-person singular	malisk	mǿlisk
3rd-person singular	malisk	mǿlisk
1st-person plural	malimsk	mǿlimsk
2nd-person plural	malizk	mǿlizk
3rd-person plural	malisk	mǿlisk
imperative	present
2nd-person singular	malsk
1st-person plural	mǫlumsk
2nd-person plural	malizk

Descendants

• Icelandic: mala
• Faroese: mala
• Norwegian: male
• Old Swedish: mala
  • Swedish: mala
• Danish: male
• Westrobothnian: mala, mäla, mjäla

References

• “mala”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “mala”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• “mala”, in Geir T. Zoëga (1910) A Concise Dictionary of Old Icelandic, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• mala in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition with additions by D. P. Carpenterius, Adelungius and others, edited by Léopold Favre, 1883–1887)
• Carl Meißner; Henry William Auden (1894) Latin Phrase-Book‎^[2], London: Macmillan and Co.
  • (ambiguous) to be broken down by misfortune: in malis iacere
    
  • (ambiguous) to be hard pressed by misfortune: malis urgeri
    
  • (ambiguous) to have a good or bad reputation, be spoken well, ill of: bona, mala existimatio est de aliquo
    
  • (ambiguous) moral science; ethics: philosophia, in qua de bonis rebus et malis, deque hominum vita et moribus disputatur
    
  • (ambiguous) to take a thing in good (bad) part: in bonam (malam) partem accipere aliquid
    
  • (ambiguous) a guilty conscience: conscientia mala or peccatorum, culpae, sceleris, delicti
    
  • (ambiguous) to be tormented by remorse: conscientia mala angi, excruciari
    
  • (ambiguous) to bless (curse) a person: precari alicui bene (male) or omnia bona (mala), salutem
    
  • (ambiguous) from beginning to end: ab ovo usque ad mala (proverb.)
    
• “mala”, in William Smith, editor (1854, 1857) A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography, volume 1 & 2, London: Walton and Maberly

Old Swedish

Etymology

From Old Norse mala, from Proto-Germanic *malaną.

Verb

mala

1. to grind

Conjugation

Conjugation of mala (strong)

	present			past
infinitive	mala			—
participle	malandi, malande			malin
active voice	indicative	subjunctive	imperative	indicative	subjunctive
iæk	mal	mali, male	—	mōl	mōli, mōle
þū	mal	mali, male	mal	mōlt	mōli, mōle
han	mal	mali, male	—	mōl	mōli, mōle
vīr	malum, malom	malum, malom	malum, malom	mōlum, mōlom	mōlum, mōlom
īr	malin	malin	malin	mōlin	mōlin
þēr	mala	malin	—	mōlu, -o	mōlin
mediopassive voice	indicative	subjunctive	imperative	indicative	subjunctive
iæk	mals	malis, males	—	mōls	mōlis, mōles
þū	mals	malis, males	—	mōlts	mōlis, mōles
han	mals	malis, males	—	mōls	mōlis, mōles
vīr	malums, -oms	malums, maloms	—	mōlums, mōloms	mōlums, mōloms
īr	malins	malins	—	mōlins	mōlins
þēr	malas	malins	—	mōlus, mōlos	mōlins

Descendants

• Swedish: mala

Pali

Alternative forms

Alternative forms

• 𑀫𑀮 (Brahmi script)
• मल (Devanagari script)
• মল (Bengali script)
• මල (Sinhalese script)
• မလ (Burmese script)
• มล or มะละ (Thai script)
• ᨾᩃ (Tai Tham script)
• ມລ or ມະລະ (Lao script)
• មល (Khmer script)
• 𑄟𑄣 (Chakma script)

Noun

mala n

1. impurity
2. stain
3. rust
4. dirt
5. dung

Declension

Declension table of "mala" (neuter)

Case \ Number	Singular	Plural
Nominative (first)	malaṃ	malāni
Accusative (second)	malaṃ	malāni
Instrumental (third)	malena	malehi or malebhi
Dative (fourth)	malassa or malāya or malatthaṃ	malānaṃ
Ablative (fifth)	malasmā or malamhā or malā	malehi or malebhi
Genitive (sixth)	malassa	malānaṃ
Locative (seventh)	malasmiṃ or malamhi or male	malesu
Vocative (calling)	mala	malāni

Pitjantjatjara

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈmɐlɐ]

Noun

mala

1. rufous hare-wallaby (Lagorchestes hirsutus)

References

• Paul A. Eckert (2007) Pitjantjatjara / Yankunytjatjara Picture Dictionary‎^[3], IAD Press, →ISBN

Portuguese

Etymology

Borrowed from French malle (“large suitcase; trunk”), from Middle French malle, from Old French male (“leather bag, leather or wooden travel-case”), from Frankish *malha (“leather bag”), from Proto-Germanic *malhō (“leather bag”), from Proto-Indo-European *molko- (“leather bag”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈma.lɐ/

• Rhymes: -alɐ
• Hyphenation: ma‧la

Noun

mala f (plural malas)

1. suitcase
2. (travel) luggage
3. (automotive) boot, trunk
4. (chiefly Portugal) handbag

   Synonyms: bolsa, maleta, saco

Noun

mala m or f by sense (plural malas)

1. (Brazil, idiomatic) an irritating person

Pukapukan

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *mala, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *malaŋ.

Verb

mala

1. (stative) be unlucky, unfortunate
2. to have bad luck

Further reading

• Pukapuka Dictionary

Romanian

Etymology

Ottoman Turkish ماله (mala), from Persian ماله (mâle).

Noun

mala f (plural malale)

1. trowel

Declension

Declension of mala

	singular		plural
	indefinite articulation	definite articulation	indefinite articulation	definite articulation
nominative/accusative	(o) mala	malaua	(niște) malale	malalele
genitive/dative	(unei) malale	malalei	(unor) malale	malalelor
vocative	mala		malalelor

Samoan

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *mala, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *malaŋ.

Noun

mala

1. calamity

Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

From Old Irish mala, from Proto-Celtic *malax, from Proto-Indo-European *ml̥Hdʰo-, see also Breton malvenn, Old English molda (“forehead”), Ancient Greek βλωθρός (blōthrós, “lofty”), Avestan 𐬐𐬀-𐬨𐬆𐬭𐬆𐬜𐬋 (ka-mər^əδō, “demon's head”).

Noun

mala f (genitive singular mala, plural malaichean)

1. brow
   1. (anatomy) eyebrow
   2. (geography, of hill) brow; slope, incline

Usage notes

• The plural is mailghean in Argyll.

Mutation

Scottish Gaelic mutation
Radical	Lenition
mala	mhala
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Further reading

• Edward Dwelly (1911), “mala”, in Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan [The Illustrated Gaelic–English Dictionary], 10th edition, Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, →ISBN
• G. Toner, M. Ní Mhaonaigh, S. Arbuthnot, D. Wodtko, M.-L. Theuerkauf, editors (2019), “mala”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
• MacBain, Alexander; Mackay, Eneas (1911), “mala”, in An Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language, Stirling, →ISBN

Serbo-Croatian

Adjective

mala

1. inflection of mal:
   1. feminine nominative/vocative singular
   2. indefinite masculine/neuter genitive singular
   3. indefinite animate masculine accusative singular
   4. neuter nominative/accusative/vocative plural

Sicilian

Etymology

From Latin malus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈma.la/
• Hyphenation: mà‧la

Adjective

mala f sg

1. feminine singular of malu; bad.

Inflection

	Masculine	Feminine
Singular	malu	mala
Plural	mali	mali

Slovak

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈmala]

Participle

mala

1. feminine singular l-participle of mať

Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmala/ [ˈma.la]
• Rhymes: -ala
• Syllabification: ma‧la

Etymology 1

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Noun

mala f (plural malas)

1. female equivalent of malo

Adjective

mala f

1. feminine singular of malo

Etymology 2

From French malle (“large suitcase; trunk”), from Middle French malle, from Old French male (“leather bag, leather or wooden travel-case”), from Frankish *malha (“leather bag”), from Proto-Germanic *malhō (“leather bag”), from Proto-Indo-European *molko- (“leather bag”).

Noun

mala f (plural malas)

1. suitcase

   Synonyms: maleta, valija

2. mailbag

   Synonyms: saca de correos, saca postal, valija

3. mail, post

   Synonym: correo

Further reading

• “mala”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014

Swedish

Etymology

From Old Swedish mala, from Old Norse mala, from Proto-Germanic *malaną.

Verb

mala (present mal, preterite malde, supine malt, imperative mal)

1. to grind; to make smaller
2. to speak ceaselessly, usually about one single subject

   Synonym: mala på

Usage notes

• Alternate form for the present tense: maler, and alternate form for the past participle (which is only used in the sense of grinding): malen.

Conjugation

Conjugation of mala (weak)

	Active		Passive
Infinitive	mala		malas
Supine	malt		malts
Imperative	mal		—
Imper. plural1	malen		—
	Present	Past	Present	Past
Indicative	mal	malde	mals, males	maldes
Ind. plural1	mala	malde	malas	maldes
Subjunctive2	male	malde	males	maldes
	Participles
Present participle	malande
Past participle	mald
1 Archaic. 2 Dated. See the appendix on Swedish verbs.

Related terms

• malström

Anagrams

• Alma, lama

Tokelauan

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *mala. Cognates include Hawaiian mala and Samoan mala.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈma.la/
• Hyphenation: ma‧la

Noun

mala

1. misfortune, bad luck
2. disaster, tragedy
3. plague, epidemic

Verb

mala

1. (stative) to be unlucky
2. (intransitive) to bring bad luck

Further reading

• R. Simona, editor (1986) Tokelau Dictionary‎^[4], Auckland: Office of Tokelau Affairs, page 209

Tongan

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *mala, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *malaŋ.

Noun

mala

1. misfortune, bad luck
2. disaster

Tuvaluan

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *mala, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *malaŋ.

Noun

mala

1. plague

Wolof

Noun

mala (definite form mala mi)

1. animal