The suffix -mal indicates which meaning?

Prepare for the Animal Behavior College (ABC) Externship Test. Study with flashcards and multiple-choice questions. Each question offers hints and explanations. Get set for your test!

Multiple Choice

The suffix -mal indicates which meaning?

Explanation:
The main idea is how affixes carry meaning. The element -mal comes from Latin malus, meaning bad, and it signals a negative quality or defect in many English words. That negative sense shows up in terms like abnormal (not normal), malady (illness), and malfunction (not functioning properly). Because this affix consistently conveys something bad or wrong, the meaning it indicates is “Bad.” The other options aren’t connected to negative quality and don’t fit with how -mal is used.

The main idea is how affixes carry meaning. The element -mal comes from Latin malus, meaning bad, and it signals a negative quality or defect in many English words. That negative sense shows up in terms like abnormal (not normal), malady (illness), and malfunction (not functioning properly). Because this affix consistently conveys something bad or wrong, the meaning it indicates is “Bad.” The other options aren’t connected to negative quality and don’t fit with how -mal is used.

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