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Definition of maladapted

maladapted

/ˌmæl.əˈdæp.tɪd/
mal · a · dapt · ed
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maladapted Lexical Profile

maladapted Game Scores & Validity

• adjective

1

Poorly suited or inadequately adjusted to a particular environment, situation, or set of conditions.

Example

"Many alpine plant species are maladapted to the rapidly warming temperatures at lower elevations."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for maladapted
Antonyms
View all antonyms for maladapted

Word Nuance & Usage

'Maladapted' typically describes an organism, person, or system that is poorly suited to its environment, whereas 'maladaptive' usually describes a specific behavior, trait, or coping mechanism that hinders proper adjustment.

• Rhymes for maladapted

• Nearby Words

malabo
malacca
malachite
maladapted
maladjusted
maladjustment
malady

Word Origin & Etymology

Formed in the late 19th century by combining the prefix 'mal-' (from Latin 'malus', meaning 'bad') with 'adapted' (from Latin 'adaptare', meaning 'to fit to').

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Maladapted. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/maladapted
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