disease

noun dis·ease \di-ˈzēz\

: an illness that affects a person, animal, or plant : a condition that prevents the body or mind from working normally

: a problem that a person, group, organization, or society has and cannot stop

Full Definition of DISEASE

obsolete : trouble

: 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

: a harmful development (as in a social institution)

— dis·eased \-ˈzēzd\ adjective

See disease defined for English-language learners

See disease defined for kids

Origin of DISEASE

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

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to DISEASE

Synonyms: affection, ail, ailment, bug, complaint, complication, condition, disorder, distemper, distemperature, fever, ill, illness, infirmity, malady, sickness, trouble

Antonyms: health, wellness

Other Medicine Terms

analgesia, angina, diabetes, hepatitis, homeopathy, logorrhea, palliate, pandemic

DISEASED Defined for Kids

disease

noun dis·ease \di-ˈzēz\

Definition of DISEASE for Kids

: a change in a living body (as of a person or plant) that prevents it from functioning normally : sickness

Medical Dictionary

disease

noun dis·ease \diz-ˈēz\

Medical Definition of DISEASE

: 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 1

—dis·eased \-ˈēzd\ adjective