illness

[ il-nis ]

noun

1. poor health; sickness:

   He grew up in an environment known for poverty, illness, and little opportunity for education.

2. a specific sickness or disease, or an instance of such:

   Please be as accurate as possible in listing your childhood illnesses.

   Synonyms: infirmity, affliction, ailment

3. Obsolete. wickedness.

illness

/ ˈɪlnɪs /

noun

1. a disease or indisposition; sickness
2. a state of ill health
3. obsolete.
   wickedness

Word History and Origins

Origin of illness¹

First recorded in 1490–1500; ill + -ness

Example Sentences

We don’t know how it dies: illness or injury, predators or old age.

From Los Angeles Times

The UK was also only a month into the first stages of its vaccine rollout, which started to reduce the risk of death and serious illness from the virus.

From BBC

Her life derailed, she was taken in by mental health services, misdiagnosed as having a mental illness, given medication and therapy.

From BBC

Austin Reaves, who starred in the final a year ago despite an illness, said he agrees with Redick.

From Los Angeles Times

Another goal of Measure A is to reduce the number of people on the street suffering from severe mental illness, which according to the latest census afflicts more than 15,000 of the county’s homeless people.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• ailment
• breakdown
• collapse
• disability
• disorder
• disturbance
• flu
• ill health
• malady
• relapse
• seizure
• sickness
• syndrome
• virus