Malinger
/məˈlɪŋ.ɡər/noun
To pretend to be ill or injured in order to avoid work or duty.
Did you know?Malinger entered English from French military slang, and its older sense was tied to soldiers faking or shirking service—proof that deception has always had its own vocabulary.
Etymological Timeline
19th Century
French
malingre
“sickly, feeble, ailing”
19th Century
French
malingrer
“to feign illness; to shirk duty through pretended sickness”
Early 19th Century
English
malinger
“to feign illness or infirmity in order to avoid work or service”
Modern English
English
malinger
“to pretend to be ill or injured, especially to avoid responsibility”
Explore more surprising origins