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malnutrition

American  
[mal-noo-trish-uhn, -nyoo-] / ˌmæl nuˈtrɪʃ ən, -nyu- /

noun

  1. lack of proper nutrition; inadequate or unbalanced nutrition.

malnutrition British  
/ ˌmælnjuːˈtrɪʃən /

noun

  1. lack of adequate nutrition resulting from insufficient food, unbalanced diet, or defective assimilation

"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
malnutrition Scientific  
/ măl′no̅o̅-trĭsh′ən /

  1. Poor nutrition caused by an insufficient, oversufficient, or poorly balanced diet or by a medical condition, such as chronic diarrhea, resulting in inadequate digestion or utilization of foods.

malnutrition Cultural  

  1. Inadequate nutrition caused by the lack of a balanced diet or by disorders of the digestive system in which the nutrients from food cannot be absorbed properly.

Etymology

Origin of malnutrition

First recorded in 1860–65; mal- + nutrition

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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.

In regions with high malnutrition rates, meals will remain available on Saturdays, when many Indonesian schools are open in Southeast Asia's biggest economy.

From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026

In India, gas-intensive companies such as fertilizer producers might be forced to throttle back production, which could imperil crop yields in a country that still suffers from malnutrition.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 8, 2026

Displaced families now live in vast tent settlements, where they face malnutrition, hunger and the spread of disease.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 4, 2026

In older adulthood, preventing malnutrition and weight loss often becomes more important than long-term chronic disease prevention.

From Science Daily • Feb. 26, 2026

It was born in the poorest quarters of the city, because of the harsh winter, the malnutrition, and the dirty water, and it joined forces with the unemployment and spread in every direction.

From "The House of the Spirits: A Novel" by Isabel Allende

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.