Standard Lemma guide

malefactor

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • US: măʹləfăk'tər
  • US: /ˈmæləˌfæktɚ/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -æktə(ɹ)
  • CMU ARPABET: M AE1 L AH0 F AE2 K T ER0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: M AE1 L F AE2 K T ER0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A criminal or felon.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

An evildoer.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

someone who has committed a crime or has been legally convicted of a crime

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: criminal, felon, crook, outlaw

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: principal

Narrower terms: accessory, accessary, arsonist, incendiary, firebug, blackmailer, extortioner, extortionist, bootlegger, moonshiner, briber, suborner, conspirator, coconspirator, plotter, machinator, desperado, desperate criminal, fugitive, fugitive from justice, gangster, mobster, highbinder, highjacker, hijacker, hood, hoodlum, goon, punk, thug, tough, toughie, strong-armer, jail bird, jailbird, gaolbird, kidnapper, kidnaper, abductor, snatcher, mafioso, moll, gun moll, gangster's moll, murderer, liquidator, manslayer, probationer, parolee, pusher, drug peddler, peddler, drug dealer, drug trafficker, racketeer, raper, rapist, recidivist, repeater, habitual criminal, scofflaw, smuggler, runner, contrabandist, moon curser, moon-curser, thief, stealer, traitor, treasonist, violator, lawbreaker, law offender, Bonney, William H. Bonney, Billie the Kid, James, Jesse James, MacGregor, Robert MacGregor, Rob Roy

History

Etymology

From Middle English malefactour, from Late Latin malefactor, from Latin malefaciō, from male (“evilly”) + factus (“made or done”), past participle of facio (“to make or do”).

Across languages

Translations

52 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: شِرِّير (širrīr) — evildoer
  • Belarusian: зламы́снік (zlamýsnik) — evildoer
  • Belarusian: зламы́сніца (zlamýsnica) — evildoer
  • Belarusian: ліхадзе́й (lixadzjéj) — evildoer
  • Belarusian: ліхадзе́йка (lixadzjéjka) — evildoer
  • Bulgarian: злосто́рник (zlostórnik) — evildoer
  • Bulgarian: злосто́рница (zlostórnica) — evildoer
  • Bulgarian: злоде́й (zlodéj) — evildoer
  • Bulgarian: злоде́йка (zlodéjka) — evildoer
  • Catalan: malfactor — evildoer
  • Chinese Mandarin: 壞人 /坏人 (huàirén) — evildoer
  • Chinese Mandarin: 惡人 /恶人 (èrén) — evildoer
  • Esperanto: aĉfaranto — evildoer
  • Esperanto: malbonfaranto — evildoer
  • French: malfaiteur — evildoer
  • French: malfaitrice — evildoer
  • German: Übeltäter — evildoer
  • German: Übeltäterin — evildoer
  • German: Malefaktor — evildoer
  • Ancient Greek: κακοῦργος (kakoûrgos) — evildoer
  • Icelandic: illvirki — evildoer
  • Irish: bithiúnach — evildoer
  • Italian: malfattore — evildoer
  • Italian: malfattrice — evildoer
  • Japanese: 悪人 — evildoer
  • Korean: 악인 (agin) — evildoer
  • Latin: malefactor — evildoer
  • Macedonian: зло́сторник (zlóstornik) — evildoer
  • Macedonian: зло́чинец (zlóčinec) — evildoer
  • Mauritian Creole: malfeter — evildoer
  • Persian: بدکار (badkâr) — evildoer
  • Polish: złoczyńca — evildoer
  • Portuguese: malfeitor — evildoer
  • Portuguese: malfeitora — evildoer
  • Romanian: răufăcător — evildoer
  • Romanian: răufăcătoare — evildoer
  • Russian: злоумы́шленник (zloumýšlennik) — evildoer
  • Russian: злоумы́шленница (zloumýšlennica) — evildoer
  • Russian: злоде́й (zlodéj) — evildoer
  • Russian: злоде́йка (zlodéjka) — evildoer
  • Scottish Gaelic: eucoireach — evildoer
  • Serbo-Croatian: зло̏твор — evildoer
  • Serbo-Croatian: zlȍtvor — evildoer
  • Spanish: malhechor — evildoer
  • Spanish: malhechora — evildoer
  • Spanish: malfechor (disused) — evildoer
  • Spanish: facineroso — evildoer
  • Spanish: maleante — evildoer
  • Ukrainian: зловми́сник (zlovmýsnyk) — evildoer
  • Ukrainian: зловми́сниця (zlovmýsnycja) — evildoer
  • Ukrainian: лиході́й (lyxodíj) — evildoer
  • Ukrainian: лиході́йка (lyxodíjka) — evildoer