disease
Americannoun
-
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
-
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.
-
any harmful, depraved, or morbid condition, as of the mind or society.
His fascination with executions is a disease.
-
decomposition of a material under special circumstances.
tin disease.
verb (used with object)
noun
-
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
-
a corresponding condition in plants
-
any situation or condition likened to this
the disease of materialism
Other Word Forms
- diseasedly adverb
- diseasedness noun
Etymology
Origin of disease
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English disese, from Anglo-French dese(a)se, disaise; dis- 1 + ease
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“It’s not just that. It’s something that’s physical. A disease of the mind.”
From Salon
The magazine’s mission was to shine a light on the disease to humanize and restore dignity to its sufferers.
From Salon
According to the team, the findings, published Nov. 24 in Neuron and supported by the National Institutes of Health, may help uncover the underlying biological causes of nonheritable forms of Parkinson's disease.
From Science Daily
WHO says these drugs, sometime called skinny jabs, represent a new chapter in the gradual conceptual shift in how society approaches obesity, from a "lifestyle condition" to a complex, preventable, and treatable chronic disease.
From BBC
It is a notifiable disease so anyone suspecting their animals may have it must report it to a vet, local divisional veterinary office or to Daera directly.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
