The prefix mal- or male- conveys which meaning?

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The prefix mal- or male- signals badness, harm, or something done poorly. It comes from Latin malus meaning bad, so it turns a root into a word that describes something not functioning properly or being harmful or ill-intentioned. For example, malfunction means not functioning correctly, malnutrition means poor or inadequate nutrition, malignant means dangerous or cancerous, and malevolent means having ill will toward others. This is why the meaning is best captured by “evil, bad.” The other options don’t fit because they would be conveyed by different prefixes that indicate quantity, completeness, or obstruction rather than badness.