ailment
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of ailment
Explanation
If you've got a rash or a persistent cough, you can call that an ailment. Some other common ailments are allergies or chronic headaches. They can be a real pain. Literally. The word ailment comes from the Old English eglan meaning "to trouble, plague, afflict," and the suffix -ment from the Latin mentum, which when added to the end of word describing an action turns that word into the result of that action. So the result of something that troubles, plagues or afflicts you is an ailment — a pain or discomfort that just doesn't seem to go away.
Vocabulary lists containing ailment
Chains
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Last Last-Day-of-Summer
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Fault in Our Stars
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
There are few fortunes that can outlast a dementia illness or other ailment that requires full-time care for 20-plus years.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 8, 2026
Cooking for hours before a burning gas stove on extremely hot days has worsened an existing heart ailment, Agarwal says.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026
The FDA also requires that a drug be tested for its ability to treat a named ailment rather than something more general like “aging.”
From Slate ● Mar. 30, 2026
The longer he spent recording guitar parts for “Megadeth,” the more his ailment interfered with his playing.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 20, 2026
“She is not suffering her particular ailment, is she?”
From "Chains" by Laurie Halse Anderson
Some of the most familiar medical problems and ailments arise directly from these inherited constraints.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 11, 2026
High blood pressure, nervous breakdowns, respiratory problems, fever and dehydration feature among the most common ailments at the site housing hundreds, according to several doctors consulted.
From Barron's ● Jul. 1, 2026
Raw dairy, his farm has claimed, could cure, treat or prevent myriad diseases and ailments, from diabetes and ear infections to allergies, eczema and arthritis.
From Salon ● Jun. 22, 2026
There’s no insurance product that will protect all your assets from the unpredictable, multiyear impact of serious health ailments.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 15, 2026
Studies of ancient skeletons indicate that the transition to agriculture brought about a plethora of ailments, such as slipped discs, arthritis and hernias.
From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari
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.
