English

maladdress

From mal- + address.

Proto-Italic *malos

Archaic Latin malos

Latin malus ‘bad’

Latin male ‘badly’

English mal-

Latin regō ‘to govern, rule’

…

Proto-Romance *dīrēctiāre ‘to guide; to direct’

Proto-Romance *addīrēctiāre

Old French adrecier ‘to straighten, address’

Middle English adressen ‘to raise erect, adorn’

Today it means

noun awkwardness, rudeness or a lack of politeness or tact when speaking to someone

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / maladdress