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Aug 24, 2005

This week's theme
Miscellaneous words

This week's words
propitious
legerity
malversation
axiomatic
sodality

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malversation

noun: Corrupt behavior in public office.

From Middle French malversation, from malverser (to embezzle), from Latin maleversari (to behave badly), from male (ill) + versari (to behave), from vertere (to turn). Ultimately from Indo-European root wer- (to turn or bend) that is also the source of words such as wring, weird, writhe, worth, revert, and universe.

"Ramon Magsaysay called for inquiries into the alleged malversation of the Motor Vehicles Users Charge and the reported overpricing of the project."
Rome C. Jorge; Senator Proposes Reforms; The Manila Times (Philippines); Jul 22, 2005.

See more usage examples of malversation in Vocabulary.com's dictionary.

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