marasmus

American  

[muh-raz-muhs] / məˈræz məs /

noun

Pathology.

1. malnutrition occurring in infants and young children, caused by insufficient intake of calories or protein and characterized by thinness, dry skin, poor muscle development, and irritability.

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marasmus British  

/ məˈræzməs /

noun

1. pathol general emaciation and wasting, esp of infants, thought to be associated with severe malnutrition or impaired utilization of nutrients

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Other Word Forms

• marasmic adjective
• marasmoid adjective

Etymology

Origin of marasmus

1650–60; < New Latin < Greek marasmós a wasting away, akin to maraínein to weaken, waste away

Example Sentences

The coroner blamed her death on a form of malnutrition called marasmus.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 29, 2023

The daughter of Horatio Nelson Cook and Edith Scooffy Cook, she died of marasmus — a form of severe undernourishment — on Oct.

From Los Angeles Times • May 10, 2017

The marasmus survivors tended to have had low birthweights.

From Economist • Nov. 11, 2010

One significant difference between the two syndromes is that children with marasmus are twice as likely to survive malnutrition as those with kwashiorkor.

From Economist • Nov. 11, 2010

His disease was called by the physicians marasmus, a wasting away of the vital powers, a sort of consumption, not merely of the lungs, but of the stomach and every thing else.

From Homes of American Statesmen With Anecdotical, Personal, and Descriptive Sketches by Various