n.
Pronunciation: m ə - ' ler- ē - ə
Function: noun
Etymology: Italian, from mala aria bad air
Date: 1740
1 archaic : air infected with a noxious substance capable of causing disease especially : MIASMA
2 a : a human disease that is caused by sporozoan parasites (genus Plasmodium ) in the red blood cells, is transmitted by the bite of anopheline mosquitoes, and is characterized by periodic attacks of chills and fever b : any of various diseases of birds and mammals caused by blood protozoans
– ma · lar · i · al \ - ə l \ adjective
– ma · lar · i · ous \ - ə s \ adjective