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plural maladies
1
: a disease or disorder of the animal body
told by his physicians that he had a fatal malady—
Willa Cather
2
: an unwholesome or disordered condition
poverty, homelessness, and other social maladies
Synonyms
Examples of malady in a Sentence
in the olden days people were always suffering from some unknown malady
Recent Examples on the Web
In addition to publishing studies, the MMWR keeps the country updated on outbreaks, poisonings, and maternal mortality, and provides surveillance data on cancer, heart disease, HIV, and other maladies.
—
Amy Maxmen, CNN, 30 Jan. 2025
As this news organization reported at the time, the book was intended to shine a light for those who are battling addiction and other maladies.
—
Joseph Dycus, The Mercury News, 28 Jan. 2025
Service members receiving care for such conditions occupied more hospital beds in 2023 than those being treated for any other malady, accounting for some 55% of these stays.
—
Anna Mulrine Grobe, The Christian Science Monitor, 28 Jan. 2025
On a practical level, the cases generally start off as perfunctory and repetitive — some drug overdoses, some maladies impacting the unhoused community and lots of workplace injuries.
—
Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Jan. 2025
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Word History
Etymology
Middle English maladie, from Anglo-French, from malade sick, from Latin male habitus in bad condition
First Known Use
13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of malady was
in the 13th century
Dictionary Entries Near malady
Cite this Entry
“Malady.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/malady. Accessed 16 Feb. 2025.
Kids Definition
More from Merriam-Webster on malady
Nglish: Translation of malady for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of malady for Arabic Speakers
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