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occupational disease

American  

noun

  1. Also called industrial disease. a disease caused by the conditions or hazards of a particular occupation.

  2. a trait or tendency that develops among members of a particular profession.

    Cynicism was thought to be an occupational disease of reporters.


occupational disease Cultural  
  1. A disease that is caused by a person's line of work, or occupation. A common occupational disease is carpal tunnel syndrome, which results from repetitive motion.


Etymology

Origin of occupational disease

First recorded in 1900–05


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.

See Examples For:

Sophie Lainault, a 59 year-old former stewardess on Air France, sought to have her cancer recognised as an occupational disease, brought on by conditions at work.

From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026

A flight attendant in France has succeeded in having her breast cancer recognised as an occupational disease, a first for the country's aviation industry, her lawyer and a trade union said.

From Barron's ● Aug. 26, 2026

These have helped contribute to Cancer Alleys, occupational disease, dangerous products and collapsing infrastructure.

From Salon ● Dec. 15, 2025

“If a worker files a claim and doesn’t meet the presumption, L&I then looks to see if they qualify for an occupational disease claim,” Hellman said.

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 26, 2023

"We've got an occupational disease to fight—progressive mental myopia."

From Sjambak by Jack Vance

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