malpractice

noun

mal·​prac·​tice ˌmal-ˈprak-təs 

1

: a dereliction of professional duty or a failure to exercise an ordinary degree of professional skill or learning by one (such as a physician) rendering professional services which results in injury, loss, or damage

2

: an injurious, negligent, or improper practice : malfeasance

Examples of malpractice in a Sentence

a surgeon accused of malpractice

Doctors need to have malpractice insurance to protect themselves against lawsuits.

Recent Examples on the Web

Normally, if a patient suffers harm due to the negligence or wrongdoing of a physician, this is covered by medical malpractice law. —Paul Hsieh, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024

The clinics — Edwards Veterinary Care in Greeley and Western Skies End-of-Life Veterinary Care, which serves parts of Colorado and Wyoming — each discovered the malpractice in 2022 and have since ended their years-long contracts with the crematory, according to the lawsuit. —Michael Braithwaite, The Denver Post, 30 Jan. 2024

For example, if a physician fails to recognize an obvious heart attack and dismisses the patient’s chest pain as mere heartburn, that would constitute malpractice. —Paul Hsieh, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024

Would malpractice coverage protect doctors outside their own institutions? —Helen Ouyang, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2024

Feinberg says the ruling could potentially also make offering IVF too costly for providers, who might have to pay more for malpractice insurance in states where zygotes are considered people. —Maria Godoy, NPR, 23 Feb. 2024

Of course, medical malpractice insurance was not the only insurance purchased by the Clinic. —Jay Adkisson, Forbes, 10 Feb. 2024

The doctors contend the government’s plan does not address fundamental problems such as poor working conditions, a concentration of physicians in urban areas and not enough protection from malpractice suits. —Shinhye Kang, Bloomberg.com, 27 Feb. 2024

The patient went on the make a moderate recovery but became one of the first high-profile malpractice cases in the state. —Torie Bosch, STAT, 17 Feb. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1671, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

malpractice

noun

mal·​prac·​tice (ˈ)mal-ˈprak-təs 

: violation of professional standards especially by carelessness or improper conduct

Medical Definition

malpractice

1 of 2 noun

mal·​prac·​tice (ˈ)mal-ˈprak-təs 

: a dereliction of professional duty or a failure to exercise an accepted degree of professional skill or learning by a physician rendering professional services which results in injury, loss, or damage

malpractice

2 of 2 intransitive verb

malpracticed; malpracticing

: to engage in or commit malpractice

Legal Definition

malpractice

noun

mal·​prac·​tice ˌmal-ˈprak-təs 

: negligence, misconduct, lack of ordinary skill, or a breach of duty in the performance of a professional service (as in medicine) resulting in injury or loss