• malversation •
Printable Version Pronunciation: mæl-vêr-say-shên • Hear it!
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Misconduct or malfeasance in public office, at one time also known as "jobbery".
Notes: Today's Good Word should be heard more frequently than it is given all we read and hear about malfeasance in public office these days. Well, if you have ever wanted to express "misconduct in public office" in a single, tidy word, malversation is the word for you. It is a paronym (the noun) of the verb malversate, which usually suggests the misappropriation of public funds, as a mayor who malversates city tax revenues. The adjective would be malversational or malversative, should you like to be the first to use either.
In Play: It is difficult to think of this word as "in play", given its meaning, but here are some examples. It comes to mind when we hear of the recently uncovered malversation of Congressman Foley of Florida, who has publicly apologized for his attempt to seduce a congressional page. This came on the heels of the web of malversation created by the lobbyist, Jack Abramoff, which led to the resignations of several US congressmen. Many people in public office seem to be unable to avoid the practice: "Since when is ignoring the mayor's parking tickets malversation?"
Word History: The -ion on the end of today's Good Word is a dead giveaway that it comes from French, where it is the noun from the verb malverser "to misbehave". The French word descended from the Latin phrase male versari "to behave badly", made up of male "badly" + versari "to behave". Latin malus "bad" from which the adverb male derives, can also be seen lurking in such English words borrowed from French and Latin as malign, malady, malevolent and dismal—all bad things. (No, don't even think it, girls: English male is totally unrelated. Latin male is pronounced [mah-lay].)
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