malabsorption

American

[mal-uhb-sawrp-shuhn, -zawrp-] / ˌmæl əbˈsɔrp ʃən, -ˈzɔrp- /

noun

Pathology.

faulty absorption of nutritive material from the intestine.

malabsorption British

/ ˌmæləbˈsɔːpʃən /

noun

a failure of absorption, esp by the small intestine in coeliac disease, cystic fibrosis, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of malabsorption

First recorded in 1930–35; mal- + absorption

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.

Ashley Hall, 36, from Witney, Oxfordshire, suffers from Type 1 Diabetes and was recently diagnosed with bile acid malabsorption.

From BBC • Jan. 12, 2024

The Pacific walrus calf, taken in by the center on Aug. 1 after being found by oil field workers a day earlier, was struggling with a number of health issues, such as nutrient malabsorption.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 11, 2023

In the U.S., lactose malabsorption is more prevalent among Black and Indigenous people, Asian Americans and Latinos than non-Latino white people.

From Salon • May 23, 2023

The cramping appeared as I got older; I don't think that diet is the issue, and suspect malabsorption.

From New York Times • Jan. 5, 2018

Antibiotics didn’t help, and Love was growing normally so it didn’t seem likely that she had a malabsorption problem.

From Washington Post • Nov. 28, 2011

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023