malhechor

wrongdoer

noun mahl-eh-CHOHR Rare

Origin: From mal (bad) + hecho (done) + -or (agent suffix), a direct compound meaning 'one who does bad.'

Also means

criminal

Usage Note

Malhechor is a formal or literary word for a person who commits crimes or wrongdoing. The feminine form is malhechora. It is more elevated than delincuente (delinquent) or criminal, often appearing in legal texts, historical writing, or journalism. The plural is malhechores — note the drop of the final -or and addition of -ores.

Examples

"La policía detuvo a los malhechores anoche."

Natural Translation

The police detained the wrongdoers last night.

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