Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
Definitions: Malfunction |
MalfunctionNoun1. A failure to function normally. Verb1. Fail to function or function improperly; "the coffee maker malfunctioned". Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. |
Date "malfunction" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1991. (references) |
| Domain | Definitions |
Aerospace | Improper functioning of a component, causing improper operation of a system. (references) |
Computing | An accidental condition that causes a functional unit to fail to perform its required function. Source: European Union. (references) |
Meteorology & Standards | Means the failure of an emission related component or system that would result in emissions exceeding the limits in Section 5. 3. 2 of this Annex. Source: European Union. (references) |
Military & Defense | Any improper opening of the parachute. Source: European Union. (references) |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
Synonym: MalfunctionSynonym: misfunction (v). (additional references) |
| Antonym: function (v). (additional references) |
| Domain | Usage | |
Screenplays | Uh, we had a slight weapons malfunction, but uh everything's perfectly all right now. We're fine. (Star Wars; writing credit: George Lucas) What is your major malfunction, numbnuts? (Full Metal Jacket; writing credit: Gustav Hasford; Michael Herr) There seems to be a malfunction. (Aliens; writing credit: James Cameron; David Giler) | |
Movie/TV Titles | Malfunction (2001) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | ||
| Domain | Title | ||
Books |
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Music |
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Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Subject | Topic | Quote |
Health | And a faulty protein can lead to cell malfunction and eventually disease. (references) | |
Sleep apnea also can occur if the neurons that control breathing malfunction during sleep. (references) | ||
Other causes include rectal injury, bacterial infection, allergies, and malfunction of the nerves in the rectum. (references) | ||
Business | Another important consideration is the report that elements in the water caused certain meters to malfunction in the province of Santa Fe. As a result, that company has disqualified the manufacturers of those meters from future consideration. (references) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits. | ||
| "Malfunction" is generally used as a noun (singular) -- approximately 98.78% of the time. "Malfunction" is used about 82 times out of a sample of 100 million words spoken or written in English. Its rank is based on over 700,000 words used in the English language. Some parts-of-speech are not covered due to the samples used by the British National Corpus. (note: percents less than one-hundredth of one percent have been omitted) |
| Parts of Speech | Percent | Usage per 100 Million Words | Rank in English |
| Noun (singular) | 98.78% | 81 | 36,835 |
| Noun (common) | 1.22% | 1 | 339,140 |
| Total | 100.00% | 82 | N/A |
Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits.
| The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com. |
| Expression | Frequency per Day |
malfunction | 16 |
kidney malfunction | 11 |
junction malfunction | 10 |
liver malfunction | 9 |
malfunction parachute | 7 |
shunt malfunction | 6 |
sexual malfunction | 5 |
indicator light malfunction | 5 |
malfunction thyroid | 4 |
equipment malfunction | 4 |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| Language | Translations for "malfunction"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses. | |
Albanian | mosfunksionim (dysfunction), keqfunksionim. (various references) | |
Bulgarian | ненормална работа на механизъм, неизправност (disrepair, disturbance, fault, trouble). (various references) | |
Chinese | 故障 (Breakdown, broken-down). (various references) | |
Czech | selhání (failure, lapse, misfire), funkèní poruchy. (various references) | |
Danish | hardwarefejl (fault), funktionsfejl, fejlfunktion (inadvertent operation, unwanted operation), fejl (aberration, breakdown, defect, deficiency, degrade, error, failure, fault, fault condition, flaw, hard error, hardware error, mistake). (various references) | |
Dutch | uitvallen (abandon, breakdown, collapse, drop out, failure, fall, fall off, give up, go on the blink, renounce, resign, trouble, tumble down), stuk gaan (go on the blink), haperen (go on the blink). (various references) | |
Esperanto | malfunkciiĝi (go on the blink), panei (break-down). (various references) | |
Farsi | بدعمل کردن . (various references) | |
Finnish | vika (blemish, breakdown, crash, defect, deficiency, degrade, demerit, failure, fault, flaw, loophole), toimintahäiriö (fault). (various references) | |
French | mauvais fonctionnement, incident de saut, dysfonctionnement, défaut (malformation). (various references) | |
German | Störung (breach of security, bug, derangement, disorder, disruption, disturbance, failure, fault, fault condition, hard error, hardware error, hitch, hits, hold up, interference, interruption, intrusion, jam, jamming, line hit, noise, obstruction, operating trouble, perturbation, program fault, to disturb, trouble, upset, violation), funktionsstörung (disorder, dysfunction, functional disorder), Fehlfunktion. (various references) | |
Greek | δυσλειτουργία. (various references) | |
Hungarian | üzemzavar (breakdown, bug, derangement, trouble). (various references) | |
Indonesian | kegagalan pemakaian. (various references) | |
Italian | malfunzionamento (crash, failure). (various references) | |
Japanese Kanji | 誤作動 (failure), 誤動作 . (various references) | |
Japanese Katakana | "さどう (failure), "どうさ. (various references) | |
Korean | 기능상실. (various references) | |
Pig Latin | alfunctionmay.(various references) | |
Portuguese | mau funcionamento. (various references) | |
Russian | отказ (abandonment, abdication, abnegation, ademption, brush-off, denial, disallowance, disclamation, failure, nay, negative, putdown, refusal, rejection, renouncement, renunciation, repulse, turndown, waiver), нарушение функции, аварийный режим, дисфункция (dysfunction). (various references) | |
Serbo-Croatian | zastoj (deadlock, halt, hitch, hold up, misfire, pause, slowdown, stagnancy, stagnation, stand, standstill, stasis, stoppage, tie up), neispravnost, kvar (breakage, breakdown, bug, damage, failure, trouble). (various references) | |
Spanish | mal funcionamiento (failure, failure to operate, non-operation), funcionar mal (act up), funcionamiento defectuoso (crankiness, defective operating), fallo (adjudication, breakdown, bright patch, decision, delivery of judgment, empty cells, failure, fault, fault condition, findings, hard error, hardware error, hole, judgement, judgment, judicial award, judicial decision, lag, misses, order, pronouncement of judgment, rule, ruling, shortcoming, trouble, verdict, window), avería (average, break, breakdown, damage, disturbance, failure, fault, fault condition, operating trouble, trouble). (various references) | |
Swedish | fungera dåligt, bristande funktionsförmåga. (various references) | |
Turkish | işlev bozukluğu. (various references) | |
Turkmen | kellebaюaяak. (various references) | |
Ukranian | відмова (abandonment, abjuration, brush off, denegation, denial, disallowance, disclaimer, nay, nay-say, negative, no, recession, refusal, relinquishment, repulse, surrender, waiver), відмовляти (debar, deny, disallow, discourage, notice, persuade, refuse, say no, withhold), несправно робити, несправна робота. (various references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various translation references. | ||
Derivations | |
Words beginning with "malfunction": malfunctioned, malfunctioning, malfunctions. (additional references) | |
| |
"Malfunction" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: malfunctioin, malfunctional. (additional references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references). | |
| # of Phoneme Matches | Pronunciation | Word(s) rhyming with "malfunction" (pronounced malfu"ngkshun) |
| 7 | -f u" ng k sh u n | dysfunction, function. |
| 6 | -u" ng k sh u n | compunction, conjunction, injunction, junction. |
| 5 | -ng k sh u n | distinction, extinction, sanction. |
| 4 | -k sh u n | abduction, abstraction, action, addiction, advection, affection, affliction, attraction, auction, benediction, circumspection, collection, complexion, concoction, conduction, confection, connection, constriction, construction, contraction, contradiction, convection, conviction, correction, crucifixion, deconstruction, deduction, defection, depiction, dereliction, destruction, detection, diction, diffraction, direction, disaffection, disconnection, disinfection, dissatisfaction, dissection, distraction, ejection, election, erection, eviction, exaction, extraction, faction, fiction, flexion, fraction, friction, imperfection, inaction, induction, infarction, infection, inflection, infliction, infraction, injection, inspection, instruction, insurrection, interaction, interconnection, interdiction, interjection, intersection, introduction, introspection, jurisdiction, liposuction, liquefaction, midsection, nonfiction, objection, obstruction, overproduction, overprotection, overreaction, perfection, prediction, predilection, preelection, production, projection, protection, reaction, recollection, reconstruction, redirection, reduction, reelection, reflection, reinspection, reintroduction, rejection, reproduction, restriction, resurrection, retraction, satisfaction, section, seduction, selection, subsection, subtraction, suction, traction, transaction, transection. |
| 3 | -sh u n | abbreviation, abdication, aberration, abolition, abomination, abortion, abrogation, absolution, absorption, academician, acceleration, accession, acclimation, accommodation, accreditation, accretion, accumulation, accusation, acidification, acquisition, activation, adaptation, addition, adjudication, administration, admiration, admission, admonition, adoption, adoration, adulation, advocation, affectation, affiliation, affirmation, agglomeration, aggravation, aggression, agitation, alienation, allegation, alleviation, alliteration, allocation, alphabetization, alteration, altercation, alternation, amalgamation, ambition, amelioration, ammunition, amortization, amplification, amputation, animation, annexation, annihilation, annotation, antiabortion, anticipation, anticorruption, antidiscrimination, apparition, appellation, application, apportion, appreciation, apprehension, approbation, appropriation, approximation, arbitration, argumentation, articulation, ascension, ashen, aspiration, assassination, assertion, assimilation, association, assumption, attention, attribution, attrition, audition, augmentation, authentication, authorization, automation, aviation, avocation, balkanization, beautician, bifurcation, brutalization, calculation, calibration, cancellation, cannibalization, capitalization, capitulation, caption, carburetion, carnation, castration, categorization, causation, caution, celebration, centralization, certification, cessation, cetacean, characterization, circulation, citation, civilization, clarification, classification, clinician, coagulation, coalition, codification, coercion, cogeneration, cogitation, cognition, cohabitation, collaboration, collectivization, colonization, coloration, colorization, combination, commemoration, commendation, commercialization, commission, commotion, communication, communization, compassion, compensation, competition, compilation, completion, complication, composition, comprehension, compression, compulsion, computation, computerization, concatenation, concentration, conception, conceptualization, concession, conciliation, concussion, condemnation, condensation, condescension, condition, confabulation, confederation, confession, configuration, confirmation, confiscation, conflagration, confrontation, conglomeration, congratulation, congregation, conjugation, conniption, connotation, conscription, consecration, conservation, consideration, consolation, consolidation, constellation, consternation, constipation, constitution, consultation, consummation, consumption, contamination, contemplation, contention, continuation, contortion, contraception, contraption, contribution, contrition, convention, conversation, convocation, convolution, convulsion, cooperation, coordination, coronation, corporation, correlation, corroboration, corruption, counterrevolution, creation, cremation, criminalization, crustacean, culmination, cultivation, cushion, dalmatian, damnation, decaffeination, decapitation, deceleration, decentralization, deception, decertification, decimation, declaration, decommission, decomposition, decompression, decontamination, decoration, decriminalization, dedication, defamation, definition, deflation, deforestation, deformation, degeneration, degradation, dehumanization, dehydration, deification, deinstitutionalization, delegation, deletion, deliberation, delineation, demarcation, demilitarization, demobilization, democratization, demodulation, demolition, demonization, demonstration, demoralization, demotion, denationalization, denomination, dentition, denuclearization, denunciation, depletion, depopulation, deportation, deposition, depravation, depreciation, depredation, depression, deprivation, deregulation, derivation, desalination, desalinization, description, desecration, desegregation, desertion, desiccation, designation, desolation, desperation, destabilization, destination, destitution, detention, deterioration, determination, detonation, detoxication, detoxification, devaluation, devastation, deviation, devolution, devotion, dictation, dietitian, differentiation, digression, dilatation, dilation, dilution, dimension, diminution, discoloration, discontinuation, discretion, discrimination, discussion, disembarkation, disinclination, disinflation, disinformation, disintegration, dislocation, disorganization, disorientation, dispensation, disposition, disputation, disqualification, disruption, dissemination, dissension, dissertation, dissipation, dissociation, dissolution, distillation, distortion, distribution, diversification, divination, documentation, domestication, domination, donation, dramatization, duplication, duration, echolocation, edification, edition, education, egyptian, ejaculation, elaboration, elation, electrician, electrification, electrocution, elevation, elimination, elocution, elongation, emanation, emancipation, embarkation, emigration, emission, emotion, emulation, emulsion, encryption, enumeration, equalization, equitation, equivocation, eradication, erudition, eruption, escalation, estimation, evacuation, evaluation, evaporation, evocation, evolution, exacerbation, exaggeration, examination, exasperation, excavation, exception, excitation, exclamation, excommunication, excoriation, excretion, execution, exemption, exertion, exfoliation, exhalation, exhibition, exhilaration, exhortation, exhumation, exoneration, expansion, expatriation, expectation, expedition, experimentation, expiration, explanation, explication, exploitation, exploration, exposition, expression, expropriation, expulsion, extension, extermination, extortion, extradition, extrapolation, fabrication, facilitation, falsification, fascination, fashion, federation, fermentation, fertilization, fibrillation, figuration, filtration, fission, fixation, flirtation, flotation, fluctuation, fluoridation, foliation, formalization, formation, formulation, fortification, foundation, fragmentation, freshen, fruition, frustration, fumigation, gasification, gastrulation, generalization, generation, gentian, gentrification, geriatrician, germination, gestation, glaciation, globalization, glorification, gradation, graduation, granulation, gratification, gravitation, gumption, gyration, habitation, hallucination, harmonization, hesitation, hessian, hibernation, homogenization, hospitalization, humiliation, hybridization, hydration, hydrogenation, hyperinflation, hypertension, hypotension, identification, ignition, illumination, illustration, imagination, imitation, immigration, immunization, impassion, impersonation, implantation, implementation, implication, importation, imposition, impregnation, impression, improvisation, imputation, inactivation, inauguration, incantation, incapacitation, incarceration, incarnation, inception, incineration, inclination, incoordination, incorporation, incrimination, incrustation, incubation, indemnification, indentation, indexation, indication, indignation, indiscretion, indoctrination, industrialization, infatuation, infestation, infiltration, inflammation, inflation, information, inhabitation, inhalation, inhibition, initiation, innovation, inoculation, inquisition, inscription, insemination, insertion, insinuation, inspiration, installation, instigation, institution, institutionalization, instrumentation, insubordination, insulation, integration, intensification, interception, intercession, intermission, internationalization, interpretation, interrogation, interruption, intimation, intimidation, intonation, intoxication, intuition, inundation, invalidation, invention, investigation, invitation, invocation, ionization, irradiation, irrigation, irritation, isolation, jubilation, justification, juxtaposition, laceration, lactation, legalization, legislation, levitation, liberalization, liberation, libration, ligation, lilliputian, limitation, liquidation, litigation, localization, location, locomotion, logician, lotion, lubrication, machination, magician, magnetization, magnification, malformation, malnutrition, manifestation, manipulation, mansion, marginalization, martian, masturbation, mathematician, maturation, maximization, mechanization, mediation, medication, meditation, menstruation, mention, migration, mineralization, miniaturization, ministration, misallocation, misapplication, misapprehension, misappropriation, miscalculation, mischaracterization, miscommunication, misconception, miscreation, misidentification, misimpression, misinformation, misinterpretation, misperception, misrepresentation, mission, mitigation, mobilization, moderation, modernization, modification, modulation, molestation, monopolization, mortician, motion, motivation, multiplication, mummification, munition, musician, mutation, mutilation, narration, nation, nationalization, naturalization, navigation, negation, negotiation, neutralization, nitration, nomination, nonaggression, nondiscrimination, nonprescription, nonproliferation, normalization, notation, notification, notion, nucleation, nullification, nutrition, obfuscation, obligation, observation, obsession, obstetrician, occupation, ocean, omission, operation, opposition, oppression, optician, optimization, option, oration, orchestration, ordination, organisation, organization, orientation, origination, ornamentation, oscillation, ossification, ostentation, ovation, overconsumption, overexpansion, overpopulation, overregulation, oversimplification, overvaluation, ovulation, oxidation, pacification, pagination, palpitation, participation, partition, passion, pasteurization, patrician, pediatrician, penetration, pension, perception, percussion, perforation, permission, permutation, perpetuation, persecution, personalization, personification, perspiration, perturbation, petition, physician, pigmentation, plantation, polarization, politician, politicization, pollination, pollution, pontification, popularization, population, portion, position, possession, potion, precaution, precession, precipitation, preconception, precondition, predestination, predisposition, preemption, prefabrication, preignition, premeditation, premonition, preoccupation, preparation, prescription, presentation, preservation, pressurization, presumption, presupposition, pretension, prevention, privation, privatization, probation, procession, proclamation, procrastination, procreation, profanation, profession, prognostication, progression, prohibition, proliferation, promotion, pronunciation, propagation, proportion, proposition, propulsion, proration, proscription, prosecution, prostitution, prostration, protestation, provocation, publication, punctuation, purification, qualification, quantification, quotation, radiation, radicalization, ramification, ratification, ration, rationalization, reaffirmation, realization, reallocation, reassertion, reauthorization, recalculation, recantation, recapitalization, reception, recertification, recession, recitation, reclamation, reclassification, recognition, recommendation, reconciliation, recondition, reconfiguration, reconfirmation, reconsideration, recreation, recrimination, rectification, recuperation, redecoration, rededication, redefinition, redemption, redistribution, reeducation, reevaluation, reexamination, reflation, reforestation, reformation, refrigeration, refutation, regeneration, regimentation, registration, regression, regulation, rehabilitation, rehydration, reimposition, reincarnation, reincorporation, reintegration, reinterpretation, reinvention, reinvigoration, reiteration, rejuvenation, relation, relaxation, relocation, remediation, remission, remuneration, renationalization, rendition, renegotiation, renomination, renovation, renunciation, reorganization, reparation, repatriation, repercussion, repetition, replication, reposition, repossession, representation, repression, repudiation, reputation, requisition, reregulation, reservation, resignation, resolution, respiration, restitution, restoration, resumption, resuscitation, retaliation, retardation, retention, retransmission, retribution, reunification, revaluation, revelation, reverberation, revitalization, revocation, revolution, revulsion, rhetorician, rotation, rumination, salvation, sanctification, sanitation, saponification, saturation, secession, secretion, securitization, sedation, sedimentation, sedition, segmentation, segregation, sensation, separation, sequestration, session, simplification, simulation, situation, socialization, solicitation, solution, sophistication, specialization, specification, speculation, stabilization, stagflation, stagnation, standardization, starvation, station, statistician, sterilization, stimulation, stipulation, strangulation, subluxation, submission, subordination, subscription, subsidization, substantiation, substation, substitution, suburbanization, succession, suffocation, summation, superstation, superstition, supposition, suppression, suspension, suspicion, syncopation, syndication, tabulation, tactician, taxation, technician, telecommunication, temptation, tension, termination, theoretician, titian, titillation, toleration, tradition, transcription, transformation, transgression, transillumination, transition, translation, transmission, transplantation, transportation, trepidation, triangulation, tribulation, tuition, undervaluation, unification, unionization, urbanization, usurpation, utilization, vacation, vaccination, vacillation, validation, valuation, vaporization, variation, vegetation, venetian, ventilation, verification, vibration, victimization, vilification, vindication, violation, visitation, visualization, vocation, volition, vulgarization, westernization, workstation. |
Source: compiled by the editor (additional references); see credits. | ||
Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams | |
| Words within the letters "a-c-f-i-l-m-n-n-o-t-u" | |
-1 letter: functional. | |
-2 letters: continual, culminant, fulminant, inoculant. | |
-3 letters: aconitum, continua, countian, fountain, function, lunation, mannitol, mountain. | |
-4 letters: actinon, antiflu, antlion, auction, cannoli, caution, contain, faction, folacin, fontina, inocula, liftman, limacon, linocut, lunatic, manitou, moanful, nominal, nonfact, outlain, tinamou, uncinal, unction. | |
-5 letters: action, aimful, alnico, alumin, alumni, amnion, amount, annuli, anoint, anomic, atomic, atonic, camion, canful, cannot, canton, cation, catlin, citola, coital, column, comfit, confit, conium, falcon, famuli, fanion, fantom, flacon, flaunt, folium, fontal, incant, incult, infant, latino, lumina, maloti, manful, manioc, manito, manitu, mantic, moulin, muntin, muonic, nation, nomina, nonfat, nounal, numina, nuncio, oilcan, oilman, outman, talcum, talion, tannic, tincal, tinful, tinman, toluic, toucan, tufoli, tunica, ultima, ultimo, uncial, uncoil, unnail. | |
| Words containing the letters "a-c-f-i-l-m-n-n-o-t-u" | |
+1 letter: malfunctions. | |
+2 letters: functionalism, malfunctioned. | |
+3 letters: functionalisms, malfunctioning, semifunctional. | |
+4 letters: multifunctional. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro. | |
Hexadecimal (or equivalents, 770AD-1900s) (references)4D 61 6C 66 75 6E 63 74 69 6F 6E |
| Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519; backwards) (references)
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| American Sign Language (origins from 1620-1817 in Italy and, especially, France) (references)
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| Semaphore (1791, in France) (references)
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| Braille (1829, in France) (references)
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Morse Code (1836) (references)-- .- .-.. ..-. ..- -. -.-. - .. --- -. |
| Dancing Men (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, 1903) (references)
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Binary Code (1918-1938, probably earlier) (references)01001101 01100001 01101100 01100110 01110101 01101110 01100011 01110100 01101001 01101111 01101110 |
HTML Code (1990) (references)M a l f u n c t i o n |
ISO 10646 (1991-1993) (references)004D 0061 006C 0066 0075 006E 0063 0074 0069 006F 006E |
| British Sign Language (Fingerspelling, BSL; 1992, British Deaf Association Dictionary of British Sign Language) (references)
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Encryption (beginner's substitution cypher): (references)4767787287806986758180 |
| 1. Definition 2. Synonyms 3. Crosswords 4. Usage: Modern | 5. Usage: Commercial 6. Images: Slideshow 7. Quotations: Non-fiction 8. Usage Frequency | 9. Expressions: Internet 10. Translations: Modern 11. Derivations 12. Rhymes | 13. Anagrams 14. Orthography 15. Bibliography |
Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
