1.
[syn: criminal, felon, crook, outlaw, malefactor]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Malefactor \Mal`e*fac"tor\, n. [L., fr. malefacere to do evil;
male ill, evil + facere to do. See Malice, and Fact.]
1. An evil doer; one who commits a crime; one subject to
public prosecution and punishment; a criminal.
[1913 Webster]
2. One who does wrong by injuring another, although not a
criminal. Opposite of benefactor. --H. Brooke. --Fuller.
"Malefactors of great wealth." [1913 Webster +PJC]
Syn: Evil doer; criminal; culprit; felon; convict.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
malefactor
n 1: someone who has committed a crime or has been legally
convicted of a crime [syn: criminal, felon, crook,
outlaw, malefactor]
The Devil's Dictionary (1881-1906):
MALEFACTOR, n. The chief factor in the progress of the human race.