# mala

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈmeɪ.lə/ · frequency rank #34,178

## Definitions
1. A single lobe of an insect's maxilla.
2. The grinding surface of an insect's mandible.
3. The third segment of a mandible of some myriapods.

## Etymology
Learned borrowing from Latin māla (“the cheekbone, jaw”).

## Easily confused with
- **ML** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mala-vs-ml)
- **may** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mala-vs-may)
- **man** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mala-vs-man)
- **map** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mala-vs-map)
- **max** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mala-vs-max)
- **mar** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mala-vs-mar)
- **MIA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mala-vs-mia)
- **MLB** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mala-vs-mlb)
- **mat** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mala-vs-mat)
- **mel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mala-vs-mel)
- **mil** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mala-vs-mil)
- **mao** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mala-vs-mao)
- **MMA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mala-vs-mma)
- **MLA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mala-vs-mla)
- **mam** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mala-vs-mam)
- **mol** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mala-vs-mol)
- **MLM** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mala-vs-mlm)
- **Mau** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mala-vs-mau)
- **moa** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mala-vs-moa)
- **maw** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mala-vs-maw)

## Common misspellings (3)
`malla`, `mlaa`, `mmala`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/mala