disease

[dih-zeez]

noun

1. a disordered or incorrectly functioning organ, part, structure, or system of the body resulting from the effect of genetic or developmental errors, infection, poisons, nutritional deficiency or imbalance, toxicity, or unfavorable environmental factors; illness; sickness; ailment.

   Synonyms: malady, disorder, infirmity, indisposition, distemper, derangement, complaint, morbidity
   Antonyms: health

2. any abnormal condition in a plant that interferes with its vital physiological processes, caused by pathogenic microorganisms, parasites, unfavorable environmental, genetic, or nutritional factors, etc.

3. any harmful, depraved, or morbid condition, as of the mind or society.

   His fascination with executions is a disease.

4. decomposition of a material under special circumstances.

   tin disease.

verb (used with object)

diseased, diseasing 

1. to affect with disease; make ill.

   Antonyms: cure

disease

/ dɪˈziːz /

noun

1. any impairment of normal physiological function affecting all or part of an organism, esp a specific pathological change caused by infection, stress, etc, producing characteristic symptoms; illness or sickness in general

2. a corresponding condition in plants

3. any situation or condition likened to this

   the disease of materialism

Other Word Forms

• diseasedly adverb
• diseasedness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of disease¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English disese, from Anglo-French dese(a)se, disaise; dis- ¹ + ease

Word History and Origins

Origin of disease¹

C14: from Old French desaise; see _dis- ¹ , _ease

Example Sentences

None of the participants had a dementia diagnosis, but they had risk factors including family history, cardiovascular disease, poor diets and sedentary lifestyles.

From Los Angeles Times

Dr. Elizabeth Hudson, the regional physician chief of infectious diseases for Kaiser Permanente Southern California, said data continue to show an increase in coronavirus cases.

From Los Angeles Times

Founded in 1946, the CDC tracks emerging infectious diseases like Covid and is also tasked with tackling long-term or chronic conditions such as heart disease and cancer.

From BBC

Heavy rains and floods have affected at least 21 areas across Sudan in recent weeks, with fears of disease outbreaks, and experts predicting an unusually wet season continuing into September.

From BBC

Doctors advised her to have an abortion because the disease can often damage the unborn child.

From BBC

Related Words

• Cancer 
• bug 
• condition 
• contamination 
• defect 
• disorder 
• epidemic 
• fever 
• flu 
• illness 
• infection 
• inflammation 
• malady 
• plague 
• sickness 
• stroke 
• syndrome 
• virus