malady

[ mal-uh-dee ]

noun

, plural mal·a·dies.

1. any disorder or disease of the body, especially one that is chronic or deepseated.

   Synonyms: indisposition, ailment, complaint, affliction, sickness, illness

2. any undesirable or disordered condition:

   social maladies; a malady of the spirit.

malady

/ ˈmælədɪ /

noun

1. any disease or illness
2. any unhealthy, morbid, or desperate condition

   a malady of the spirit

Word History and Origins

Origin of malady¹

1200–50; Middle English maladie < Old French, equivalent to malade sick (< Late Latin male habitus literally, ill-conditioned; mal-, habit ¹ ) + -ie -y ³

Word History and Origins

Origin of malady¹

C13: from Old French, from Vulgar Latin male habitus (unattested) in poor condition, from Latin male badly + habitus, from habēre to have

Example Sentences

"It's part of my make-up and I would have had the same malady had I been a taxi driver."

From BBC

Patnaik said the health risks of air pollution and climate change span a wide range of outcomes including infectious disease, weather-related morbidity and a variety of lung, kidney and cardiovascular maladies.

From Science Daily

Sometimes I get angry about the disparity of health, however much of a nonevent hearing disability is when compared to other maladies.

From Salon

They produce, package and ship an array of industrial hemp-infused gummies and tinctures, which buyers consume to sleep better or find relief from pain, anxiety and other maladies.

From Los Angeles Times

“This isn’t care,” Alaniz said as we took in the devastating toll of addiction and assorted untreated physical maladies.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• ache
• affliction
• ailment
• blight
• Cancer
• disability
• disorder
• epidemic
• fever
• flu
• illness
• infection
• infirmity
• inflammation
• sickness
• syndrome
• virus