disease

[ dih-zeez ]

noun

1. a disordered or incorrectly functioning organ, part, structure, or system of the body resulting from the effect of genetic or developmental errors, infection, poisons, nutritional deficiency or imbalance, toxicity, or unfavorable environmental factors; illness; sickness; ailment.

   Synonyms: malady, disorder, infirmity, indisposition, distemper, derangement, complaint, morbidity

   Antonyms: health

2. any abnormal condition in a plant that interferes with its vital physiological processes, caused by pathogenic microorganisms, parasites, unfavorable environmental, genetic, or nutritional factors, etc.
3. any harmful, depraved, or morbid condition, as of the mind or society:

   His fascination with executions is a disease.

4. decomposition of a material under special circumstances:

   tin disease.

verb (used with object)

, dis·eased, dis·eas·ing.

1. to affect with disease; make ill.

   Antonyms: cure

disease

/ dɪˈziːz /

noun

1. any impairment of normal physiological function affecting all or part of an organism, esp a specific pathological change caused by infection, stress, etc, producing characteristic symptoms; illness or sickness in general
2. a corresponding condition in plants
3. any situation or condition likened to this

   the disease of materialism

Other Words From

• dis·eased·ly adverb
• dis·eased·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of disease¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English disese, from Anglo-French dese(a)se, disaise; dis- ¹ + ease

Word History and Origins

Origin of disease¹

C14: from Old French desaise; see dis- ¹, ease

Example Sentences

Even though HIV can be managed effectively throughout the world with antiretroviral therapy, or ART, the disease still doesn't have an accessible cure.

From Science Daily

Cardiovascular disease and dementia are major public health challenges that cause a significant burden on both healthcare and society.

From Science Daily

He was previously beatified - attributed his first miracle - in 2020, the healing of a Brazilian child diagnosed with a congenital disease.

From BBC

Instead the Human Cell Atlas project has revealed there are thousands of cell types, with some appearing to be culprits in diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease and cystic fibrosis.

From BBC

While type 2 diabetes was once a disease of older adults, it is increasingly prevalent among younger individuals: one in five people with type 2 diabetes worldwide is under 40 years old.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• bug
• Cancer
• condition
• contamination
• defect
• disorder
• epidemic
• fever
• flu
• illness
• infection
• inflammation
• malady
• plague
• sickness
• stroke
• syndrome
• virus