malnutrition

American  

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

noun

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

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malnutrition British  

/ ˌmælnjuːˈtrɪʃən /

noun

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

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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.

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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.

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Etymology

Origin of malnutrition

First recorded in 1860–65; mal- + nutrition

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Compare meaning

How does malnutrition compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• malnutrition vs. undernutrition

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Explanation

Malnutrition is a condition resulting from an unbalanced diet or insufficient food. If you live for an entire year on Twinkies and diet soda, you will undoubtedly suffer from malnutrition. When you break apart the word malnutrition, it’s easy to remember what it means. You’re probably already familiar with nutrition, which refers to taking in or using food. Add on the prefix mal-, meaning “bad,” and you get a word that means “bad nutrition.” If you suffer from malnutrition, that means you aren’t getting the right balance of nutrients. This can be caused by not getting enough to eat, or it can be caused by not eating enough healthy foods.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

malnutrition

"They were sleeping outside and showing signs of malnutrition."

From Barron's ● Oct. 23, 2026

More than four million babies and children under six will need treatment for acute malnutrition next year, it warned.

From Barron's ● Oct. 20, 2026

Gautam believes malnutrition is driven by early marriage and motherhood, with some girls becoming mothers at 16 or 17, when their bodies are still developing.

From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026

Bangladesh is also particularly vulnerable during an outbreak, because child malnutrition can increase the risk of serious complications and death from measles.

From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026

As a result of continuing malnutrition, my stomach stays swollen while the rest of my body is small and thin.

From "First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers" by Loung Ung

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Related Words

• hunger
• starvation

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