malaise

noun

mal·​aise mə-ˈlāz 

ma-,

-ˈlez 

1

: an indefinite feeling of debility or lack of health often indicative of or accompanying the onset of an illness

An infected person will feel a general malaise.

2

: a vague sense of mental or moral ill-being

a malaise of cynicism and despair

—Malcolm Boyd

Did you know?

A recipe: combine a handful of the blahs, a pinch of the blues, and maybe a soupçon of ennui, season generously with “under the weather,” and voila, you’ve got yourself the stew of sinking sensations known as malaise. Malaise, whose Old French ancestor was formed from the combination of mal (“bad”) and aise (“comfort”), has been a part of English since the mid-18th century. It originally referred to a vague feeling of weakness or discomfort accompanying the onset of an illness—a meaning still in use today when a virus or other malady starts producing symptoms—but has since broadened to cover a general, ominous sense of mental or moral ill-being.

Examples of malaise in a Sentence

The symptoms include headache, malaise, and fatigue.

An infected person will feel a general malaise.

The country's current economic problems are symptoms of a deeper malaise.

Recent Examples on the Web

Over the past four decades, Chile has made a disorienting journey from state of terror to hopeful democracy to queasy malaise. —Carolina A. Miranda, The Atlantic, 18 Oct. 2024

He was struck by the way the film depicted post-college malaise and melancholy and the awkwardness of meeting new people. —Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 17 Oct. 2024

The company is on more stable footing than Yoox or Net-a-porter and has managed to transcend the malaise permeating much of the luxury sector. —David Moin, WWD, 3 Oct. 2024

In this manner, Father Charlie speaks as much for the Ryan Murphy TV empire as for the audience, which may want to be above this malaise but invariably ends up wallowing in it. —Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

French malaise, from Old French, from mal- + aise comfort — more at ease

First Known Use

1768, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!

Kids Definition

malaise

noun

mal·​aise mə-ˈlāz  ma- 

-ˈlez

: a hazy feeling of not being well

Medical Definition

malaise

noun

mal·​aise mə-ˈlāz  ma- 

-ˈlez

: an indefinite feeling of debility or lack of health often indicative of or accompanying the onset of an illness

fever, malaise, and other flu-like symptoms

—Larry Thompson