MALEFICIENCE Meaning and
Definition
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Maleficence refers to the intentional or deliberate act of causing harm, injury, or suffering to others. Derived from the Latin word "maleficentia," meaning "doing evil," maleficence is typically associated with moral wrongdoing and a malicious intent to bring about negative consequences for others. It is considered a negative ethical principle or behavior that goes against the concept of beneficence, which entails promoting well-being and acting in a morally good manner.
In the context of healthcare or medical ethics, maleficence refers to actions or decisions made by healthcare providers that intentionally cause harm or injury to patients. This could include performing unnecessary medical procedures, administering harmful medications or treatments, or engaging in negligent behavior, among other unethical practices. Maleficence is fundamentally a breach of trust and can result in physical, emotional, or psychological harm to those affected.
In a broader sense, maleficence can be observed in various contexts of human interaction, such as in legal, social, or interpersonal relationships. It encompasses acts of cruelty, inhumane behavior, violence, or any deliberate action that seeks to cause suffering, pain, or damage to others. Maleficence is often seen as an ethical violation, as it contradicts moral principles, social norms, and the basic tenets of empathy and compassion.
Overall, maleficence constitutes a deliberate act or behavior that knowingly inflicts harm or negative consequences onto others, reflecting a conscious disregard for their well-being and moral standards.
Common Misspellings for MALEFICIENCE
- maleficence
- naleficience
- kaleficience
- jaleficience
- mzleficience
- msleficience
- mwleficience
- mqleficience
- makeficience
- mapeficience
- maoeficience
- malwficience
- malsficience
- maldficience
- malrficience
- mal4ficience
- mal3ficience
- maledicience
- malecicience
- malevicience
Etymology of MALEFICIENCE
The word "maleficience" is derived from the Latin term "maleficentia", which is a combination of the Latin words "male" meaning "evil" or "badly" and "facere" meaning "to do" or "to make". It can be directly translated as "evil-doing" or "doing badly". Over time, the Latin term evolved into "malefīcium" in Medieval Latin and later influenced the English word "maleficence" or "maleficience", which refers to the act of doing evil or causing harm.
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