malnourished
Americanadjective
adjective
Etymology
Origin of malnourished
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How does malnourished compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
When someone's malnourished, they don't get enough to eat. Beyond simply being hungry, someone who's malnourished doesn't get the nutrients they need to be healthy. Poor countries and those experiencing drought or war are the most likely to have a high percentage of malnourished citizens. If crops can't grow, or food can't be distributed to people who need it, the result is a malnourished population. A malnourished person suffers from malnutrition. Both words use the mal- prefix, meaning "badly," and the Latin root nutrire, "to feed."
Vocabulary lists containing malnourished
Among the Hidden
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Between Shades of Gray
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The War That Saved My Life
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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.
When the bears were rescued, both were severely malnourished and showed signs of psychological trauma.
From BBC ● Oct. 24, 2026
Authorities said they searched a home and two commercial properties in Claremont and Upland, seizing hundreds of cats, including some that were malnourished.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 23, 2026
She said professionals were still finding stark levels of poverty in the region, including a malnourished baby admitted to hospital in Newcastle.
From BBC ● Sep. 20, 2026
But even if that happens, it will be malnourished, vulnerable to infection and less able to devote the energy needed for reproduction.
From Barron's ● May 22, 2026
You had to open the leaflet to do so—and on the inside you learn that one of the malnourished children the charity seeks to help could pass a whole arm though a hole that size.*
From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
