deficiency disease
noun
: a disease (such as scurvy) caused by a lack of essential dietary elements and especially a vitamin or mineral
Examples of deficiency disease in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Suffering from a fatal immune deficiency disease, the boy received a stem cell transplant from the umbilical cord of his newborn baby brother while his family was provided on-campus housing for months.
—
Evan Nierman, Baltimore Sun, 16 Apr. 2024
Sniderman, an artist and playwright who lives in California, was diagnosed in 2008 with the progressive muscle weakness disease dermatomyositis and later with a primary immune deficiency disease.
—Theresa Vargas, Washington Post, 27 Jan. 2024
The public was encouraged to eat more vitamin-fortified, processed foods to prevent nutrient deficiency diseases like scurvy, which is caused by a severe vitamin C deficit, or rickets, caused by prolonged vitamin D deficiency.
—Janet Colson, Discover Magazine, 13 Aug. 2023
This applies both to those with visible disabilities, such as Thorleifsson, as well as invisible ones, which include those with immune deficiency diseases.
—Tristan Bove, Fortune, 11 Mar. 2023
This yellowing of leaves is sometimes confused with a nutrient deficiency disease called iron chlorosis, especially in the case of azaleas and gardenias.
—Dan Gill, NOLA.com, 27 Jan. 2021
These ancient beliefs received scientific validation in the early 20th century, when sunlight was employed to kill tuberculosis bacteria and to treat the deficiency disease, rickets.
—Richard Schiffman, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2020
By artificially adding vitamins and minerals back in, deficiency diseases like rickets and beriberi were largely eliminated from the Western world.
—Kyle Frischkorn, Smithsonian, 14 June 2017
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Evan Nierman, Baltimore Sun, 16 Apr. 2024
Sniderman, an artist and playwright who lives in California, was diagnosed in 2008 with the progressive muscle weakness disease dermatomyositis and later with a primary immune deficiency disease.
—Theresa Vargas, Washington Post, 27 Jan. 2024
The public was encouraged to eat more vitamin-fortified, processed foods to prevent nutrient deficiency diseases like scurvy, which is caused by a severe vitamin C deficit, or rickets, caused by prolonged vitamin D deficiency.
—Janet Colson, Discover Magazine, 13 Aug. 2023
This applies both to those with visible disabilities, such as Thorleifsson, as well as invisible ones, which include those with immune deficiency diseases.
—Tristan Bove, Fortune, 11 Mar. 2023
This yellowing of leaves is sometimes confused with a nutrient deficiency disease called iron chlorosis, especially in the case of azaleas and gardenias.
—Dan Gill, NOLA.com, 27 Jan. 2021
These ancient beliefs received scientific validation in the early 20th century, when sunlight was employed to kill tuberculosis bacteria and to treat the deficiency disease, rickets.
—Richard Schiffman, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2020
By artificially adding vitamins and minerals back in, deficiency diseases like rickets and beriberi were largely eliminated from the Western world.
—Kyle Frischkorn, Smithsonian, 14 June 2017
Cite this Entry
“Deficiency disease.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deficiency%20disease. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.
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