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n. 1. One who has committed a crime; a criminal. 2. A wrongdoer or evildoer. [Middle English malefactour, from Latin malefactor, from malefacere, to do wrong : male, ill; see mel-3 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + facere, to do; see dhē- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] mal′e·faction (-făkshən) n. |
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