malfunction meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

malfunction

noun

UK, US /ˌmælˈfʌŋk.ʃən/

Etymology From mal- (“bad, incorrect”) + function.

Faulty functioning.

This weekend, as videos of robotaxi malfunctions began appearing on social media, opponents say they are seeing their fears realized.2023 August 14, Kari Paul, “Robotaxi breakdowns cause mayhem in San Francisco days after expansion vote”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
A former OceanGate scientific director said the Titan submersible suffered a malfunction six days before imploding in June 2023, killing all five people on board.2024 September 19, Alaa Elassar and Graham Hurley, “Titan submersible malfunctioned days prior to the fatal dive, former scientific director testifies”, in CNN:

Failure to function.

Derived terms: malfunction routine, malfunction junction, wardrobe malfunction

verb

Etymology From mal- (“bad, incorrect”) + function.

To function improperly.

She told him the machine was poorly built, but they both knew that she was the one who had malfunctioned.
Due to a communications error, according to gaming officials, the slot machine malfunctioned and didn’t notify Taylor or casino personnel that he was a winner.2022 February 6, Amanda Jackson, “A slot machine in Las Vegas malfunctioned and didn’t tell a tourist he won. The gaming board tracked him down”, in CNN:

2 more examples

The group has started collecting reports of malfunctioning, crashing, or dangerous self-driving cars on its website.2023 August 14, Kari Paul, “Robotaxi breakdowns cause mayhem in San Francisco days after expansion vote”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
A 39-year-old British woman was killed when a malfunctioning ottoman bed fell on her neck and asphyxiated her, a coroner’s report said.2024 October 14, Issy Ronald, “Woman killed by malfunctioning ottoman bed”, in CNN:

To fail to function.