malnutrition

[mal-noo-trish-uhn, -nyoo-]

noun

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

malnutrition

/ ˌmælnjuːˈtrɪʃən /

noun

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

malnutrition

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

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.

Word History and Origins

Origin of malnutrition¹

First recorded in 1860–65; mal- + nutrition

Example Sentences

She was found to have died from malnutrition.

From BBC

In post-war Britain, obesity was rare due to food shortages and physically demanding lifestyles – lower-income groups were more likely to suffer from malnutrition.

From BBC

"We started the year with the highest increase in child malnutrition ever recorded in Afghanistan. But things have got worse from there," says John Aylieff, the World Food Programme's country director.

From BBC

Jonathan said in July that his father had been suffering serious convulsions and his mother was "numb" from anaemia and malnutrition.

From BBC

The ministry says another 435 people have so far died during the war as a result of malnutrition and starvation, including four over the past 24 hours.

From BBC

Related Words

• hunger 
• starvation