Definition of DISEASE

disease

Plural: diseases

Noun

  • an impairment of health or a condition of abnormal functioning
  • An abnormal condition of a human, animal or plant that causes discomfort or dysfunction; distinct from injury insofar as the latter is usually instantaneously acquired.
  • Any abnormal or harmful condition, as of society, people's attitudes, way of living etc.
  • A lack of ease; uneasiness; trouble; vexation; disquiet.

Verb

Verb Forms: diseased, diseasing, diseases

  • To cause to become unhealthy or afflicted with a malady.
  • To cause unease; to annoy, irritate.
  • To infect with a disease.

Examples

  • Constant worrying about opponents’ plays can disease your own strategy.
  • The tomato plants had some kind of disease that left their leaves splotchy and fruit withered.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English disese, from Anglo-Norman desese, disaise, from Old French desaise, from des- + aise. Displaced native Middle English adle, audle (“disease”) (from Old English ādl (“disease, sickness”), see adle), Middle English cothe, coathe (“disease”) (from Old English coþu (“disease”), see coath). By surface analysis, dis- + ease.

Synonyms

affliction, ailment, coath, complaint, disease, disease § Synonyms, disorder, egritude, ill health, illness, indisposition, malady, morbus, rot, sickness, trouble

Scrabble Score: 8

disease: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
disease: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
disease: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 8

disease: valid Words With Friends Word