† malisn.

Etymology: < post-classical Latin malis (4th cent.) < ancient Greek μηλίς (in Byzantine Greek in form μᾶλις ) a disease of asses, perhaps glanders (compare melioidosis n.). Post-classical Latin malleus glanders (4th cent.; in modern medical dictionaries) is probably the same word, perhaps assimilated to malleus hammer.In late 18th-cent. and 19th-cent. medical use post-classical Latin malis occurs denoting any of various skin diseases caused by parasites (following F. Boissier de Sauvages Nosologia Methodica (1768); frequently with distinguishing word in genitive, as malis pediculi, malis pulicis, etc.). N.E.D. (1904) gives the pronunciation as (mēⁱ·lis) /ˈmeɪlɪs/.