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

There is even a link between the malady of negative partisanship and America’s ongoing struggle with vaccine hesitancy.

From Time

Doctors have reported an increase in all sorts of foot maladies — in part because so many of us have been spending so much time barefoot.

From Freakonomics

In Europe, doctors prescribed sour milk to treat intestinal maladies.

From Nautilus

In a Politico op-ed adapted from the book last week, Boehner describes how birtherism and other maladies infected his party, and in audio leaked from his audiobook recording sessions he directs vulgar insults at Cruz.

From Washington Post

That formula is approved for tropical maladies and requires a prescription.

From Washington Post

But as one deadly malady loses steam, another may be exploding: hunger.

From The Daily Beast

Some places (like Syria) are prone to this malady, and others (like America) are not.

From The Daily Beast

Nobody would hold up the single outpost of Moo Cluck Moo as a cure for the malady of low wages.

From The Daily Beast

Cystic Fibrosis, a genetic malady, dooms its sufferers to a short and burdened life.

From The Daily Beast

But the burnout described in this and so many other articles is not really a malady.

From The Daily Beast

Rheumatism was the one malady that sometimes affected mother Martha's health.

From Project Gutenberg

In all of these the clinical facts, as well as the progress of the malady, were carefully studied and recorded.

From Project Gutenberg

He as well as Brisset was called in consultation regarding a very serious malady afflicting Raphael de Valentin.

From Project Gutenberg

All this time, however, his malady was gaining ground; he slept badly, and his appetite failed him.

From Project Gutenberg

"But I do not observe any symptoms of that malady developing themselves at present," added the doctor.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

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