malady

[mal-uh-dee]

noun

plural

maladies 

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

Wheezy if, God forbid, the pop star has been stricken with a laryngeal malady?

From Salon

The seventh episode, “They Wanna Have Fun,” plunks down loud hints that Michael Patrick King and his writers will soon be correcting the show’s Aidan affliction and possibly replacing it with a new malady.

From Salon

Mays is a cancer survivor with a full package of maladies, including diabetes, a faltering heart and failing kidneys.

From Los Angeles Times

From Grover Cleveland to John F. Kennedy and Donald Trump, examples abound of presidential maladies being minimized or kept secret.

From Los Angeles Times

History abounds with examples of presidential maladies being minimized, or kept secret.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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