Homonym: mal (Bad)
"Mal" is a prefix derived from Latin, meaning "bad" or "evil." It is commonly used in various words to indicate something negative or harmful. For example, in the word malfunction, it refers to a failure in operation, while in malicious, it describes intent to cause harm.
In popular culture, "Mal" is also a character from the Disney movie series Descendants. She is the daughter of Maleficent, the iconic villain from Sleeping Beauty. In the films, Mal struggles with her identity and the expectations placed on her as the child of a notorious villain.