: a dereliction of professional duty or a failure to exercise an ordinary degree of professional skill or learning by one (such as a physician) rendering professional services which results in injury, loss, or damage

: an injurious, negligent, or improper practice : malfeasance

a surgeon accused of malpractice Doctors need to have malpractice insurance to protect themselves against lawsuits.

Recent Examples on the Web

In a landmark case, a New York jury has awarded a $2 million medical malpractice verdict to Varian who sued doctors for performing a double mastectomy on her at just 16 years old. —Nicole Russell, USA Today, 5 Feb. 2026 Georgia Supreme Court justices seemed skeptical after two separate medical malpractice cases resurfaced the question of whether the state can place a cap on money awarded by juries in wrongful death lawsuits. —Jozsef Papp, AJC.com, 5 Feb. 2026 Months before the killings, McKee was sued for medical malpractice, according to court records previously obtained by PEOPLE. —Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 3 Feb. 2026 Any buy on Trotz’s part would be malpractice. —The Athletic Nhl Staff, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for malpractice

First Known Use

1671, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of malpractice was in 1671