Word of the Day

: June 3, 2008

malaise

noun muh-LAYZ

What It Means

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

2 : a vague sense of mental or moral ill-being

malaise in Context

Though she has worked at the same company for 30 years, Jeannie shows few signs of the professional malaise common among her coworkers.

Did You Know?

"Malaise," which ultimately traces back to Old French, has been part of English since the mid-18th century. One of its most notable uses, however, came in 1979 -- well, sort of. President Jimmy Carter never actually used the word in his July 15 televised address, but it became known as the "malaise speech" all the same. In the speech, Carter described the U.S. as a nation facing a "crisis of confidence" and rife with "paralysis and stagnation and drift." He spoke of a "national malaise" a few days later, and it's not hard to see why the "malaise" name stuck. The speech was praised by some and criticized by many others, but whatever your politics, it remains a vivid illustration of the meaning of "malaise."

*Indicates the sense illustrated by the example sentence.