disease

[dih-zeez]

noun

1. 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

2. 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.

3. any harmful, depraved, or morbid condition, as of the mind or society.

   His fascination with executions is a disease.

4. decomposition of a material under special circumstances.

   tin disease.

verb (used with object)

diseased, diseasing 

1. to affect with disease; make ill.

   Antonyms: cure

disease

/ dɪˈziːz /

noun

1. 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

2. a corresponding condition in plants

3. any situation or condition likened to this

   the disease of materialism

Other Word Forms

• diseasedly adverb
• diseasedness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of disease¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English disese, from Anglo-French dese(a)se, disaise; dis- ¹ + ease

Word History and Origins

Origin of disease¹

C14: from Old French desaise; see _dis- ¹ , _ease

Example Sentences

But even with such a massive war chest, is it possible to neutralize the threat of all disease by the year 2100?

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

It can protect against disease, improve mood, and even slow down the body's natural aging process.

Read more on Science Daily

More than one billion people worldwide live with high blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart disease, stroke, and kidney problems.

Read more on Science Daily

Early results suggest that this approach could not only support long-term brain health but also slow or even prevent cognitive decline, especially among individuals who face a higher genetic risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

Read more on Science Daily

"The speed at which the disease was progressing" made it harder to plan around, he added, saying the key focus was on trying to avoid an "appalling public health crisis".

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• Cancer 
• bug 
• condition 
• contamination 
• defect 
• disorder 
• epidemic 
• fever 
• flu 
• illness 
• infection 
• inflammation 
• malady 
• plague 
• sickness 
• stroke 
• syndrome 
• virus