disease

noun

dis·ease | \ di-ˈzēz

Definition of disease

1 : 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 infectious diseases a rare genetic disease heart disease

2 : a harmful development (as in a social institution) sees the city's crime as a disease

3 obsolete : trouble

Other Words from disease Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about disease

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Examples of disease in a Sentence

He suffers from a rare genetic disease. a disease of the mind Thousands die of heart disease each year. They are working to stop the spread of disease in rural areas. The article cites intolerance as one of the most dangerous of society's diseases. He sees crime as a disease that too often plagues the poor and disadvantaged.

Recent Examples on the Web

The raid came after a two-year cross-country criminal investigation into whether the bodies had been used as donors had intended and whether they had been properly screened for infectious diseases. — Stephanie Innes, AZCentral.com, "Arizona is a hotbed for the cadaver industry, and potential donors have plenty of options," 10 June 2019 This campaign, though for a different disease, is the same. — Shobana Shankar, Quartz Africa, "What the United States could learn from Nigeria about taking on anti-vaxxers," 7 June 2019 Last year Mr Rasmussen rolled out a plan to banish asylum-seekers to an isolated island, once used as a research centre for contagious diseases in animals, if they cannot be deported because of humanitarian concerns. — The Economist, "Under left or right, Denmark will get ever tougher with migrants," 4 June 2019 Using in vitro fertilization, doctors created embryos and then tested them for the genetic disease. — Kevin Flower, CNN, "FDA wins major victory in campaign against stem cell clinic," 4 June 2019 The Food and Drug Administration has won a federal judge's backing for its efforts to crack down on the rapidly growing stem cell industry that promises all kinds of unproven treatments for serious diseases. — NBC News, "FDA wins case against Florida stem cell clinic that harmed three women's vision," 4 June 2019 In fact, living with a cute kitten—or two or three or four—can actually reduce the risk for cardiovascular diseases. — Elizabeth Gulino, House Beautiful, "According to Research, Being a Cat Lady is Actually Good For You," 15 May 2019 Water during the day, not in the evenings when the foliage will stay wet overnight, which sets up the perfect environment for fungal diseases to take hold. — Arricca Sansone, Country Living, "How to Grow Lily Flowers," 1 Aug. 2018 Shire’s products include Adderall for ADHD and medicines for rare diseases. — Jonathan Saltzman, BostonGlobe.com, "Japanese drug maker signs $430m deal to buy Waltham-based Visterra," 11 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'disease.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near disease

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Last Updated

14 Jun 2019

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The first known use of disease was in the 14th century

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More Definitions for disease

disease

noun

English Language Learners Definition of disease

: 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

See the full definition for disease in the English Language Learners Dictionary

disease

noun

dis·ease | \ di-ˈzēz

Kids Definition of disease

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

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 sense 1