morbid

[mawr-bid]

adjective

1. suggesting an unhealthy mental state or attitude; unwholesomely gloomy, sensitive, extreme, etc..

   a morbid interest in death.

   Antonyms: cheerful

2. affected by, caused by, causing, or characteristic of disease.

   Synonyms: sickly, sick, unhealthy, unhealthy, diseased, unwholesome
   Antonyms: healthy

3. pertaining to diseased parts.

   morbid anatomy.

4. gruesome; grisly.

morbid

/ ˈmɔːbɪd /

adjective

1. having an unusual interest in death or unpleasant events

2. gruesome

3. relating to or characterized by disease; pathologic

   a morbid growth

Other Word Forms

• morbidly adverb
• morbidness noun
• premorbid adjective
• premorbidly adverb
• premorbidness noun
• unmorbid adjective
• unmorbidly adverb
• unmorbidness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of morbid¹

First recorded in 1650–60; from Latin morbidus “sickly,” from morb(us) “disease, sickness” + -idus -id ⁴

Word History and Origins

Origin of morbid¹

C17: from Latin morbidus sickly, from morbus illness

Example Sentences

What George was experiencing and doing wasn’t morbid, or weird, or pathological, it was . . . good.

Read more on Salon

Nearby, a gorgeous photograph of a single gnarled tree amid green rolling hills becomes quietly apocalyptic, as if the voluptuous earth is preparing to shake off morbid memories.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Within this space between, Gramsci argued, “morbid phenomena of the most varied kind come to pass.”

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But her best-known role is Wednesday Addams, a character known for her sharp wit, deadpan delivery and fascination with all things morbid.

Read more on BBC

People compare the odor to dead rats, gym socks and rotten eggs — hence the morbid name.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• ghastly 
• ghoulish 
• grim 
• gruesome 
• macabre 
• melancholy 
• pessimistic 
• unnatural