disease

noun

dis·​ease di-ˈzēz How to pronounce disease (audio)
1
: a condition of the living animal or plant body or of one of its parts that impairs normal functioning and is typically manifested by distinguishing signs and symptoms : sickness, malady
infectious diseases
a rare genetic disease
heart disease
2
: a harmful development (as in a social institution)
sees the city's crime as a disease
3
obsolete : trouble

Examples of disease in a Sentence

He suffers from a rare genetic disease. a disease of the mind Thousands die of heart disease each year. They are working to stop the spread of disease in rural areas. The article cites intolerance as one of the most dangerous of society's diseases. He sees crime as a disease that too often plagues the poor and disadvantaged.
Recent Examples on the Web In general, maintaining a healthy body weight helps prevent disease. Kaitlin Sullivan, Health, 23 Mar. 2024 For everyone facing this disease, in whatever form, please do not lose faith or hope. Glamour, 23 Mar. 2024 Kate Middleton included a poignant tribute to those diagnosed with cancer in her recent video announcement centered around her own diagnosis with the disease. Escher Walcott, Peoplemag, 23 Mar. 2024 Munn, 43, who welcomed her son Malcolm in Nov. 2021, opened up about her own experience with the disease in a poignant Instagram post shared on March 13. TIME, 23 Mar. 2024 The event is aimed at people with Parkinson’s disease and their care partners, friends and family. Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Mar. 2024 No doubt, there will be speculation about the nature of the disease, which especially in a woman so young is always scary. Mary McNamara, Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2024 The study also found that people who already had cardiovascular disease and ate over a period of fewer than 10 hours a day had a 66% higher risk of death from heart disease or stroke. Korin Miller, Verywell Health, 22 Mar. 2024 That tip pays off now, as Jake discovered Tozawa received a life-saving surgery for liver disease, giving the surgeon a $500,000 gold watch for his services. Demetrius Patterson, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'disease.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English disese, from Anglo-French desease, desaise, from des- dis- + eise ease

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of disease was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near disease

Cite this Entry

“Disease.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disease. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

disease

noun
dis·​ease diz-ˈēz How to pronounce disease (audio)
: an abnormal bodily condition of a living plant or animal that interferes with functioning and can usually be recognized by signs and symptoms : illness
diseased adjective

Medical Definition

disease

noun
dis·​ease diz-ˈēz How to pronounce disease (audio)
: an impairment of the normal state of the living animal or plant body or one of its parts that interrupts or modifies the performance of the vital functions, is typically manifested by distinguishing signs and symptoms, and is a response to environmental factors (as malnutrition, industrial hazards, or climate), to specific infective agents (as worms, bacteria, or viruses), to inherent defects of the organism (as genetic anomalies), or to combinations of these factors : sickness, illness

called also morbus

compare health sense 1
diseased adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on disease

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!