malady

noun

mal·​a·​dy ˈma-lə-dē 

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

• disease
• ailment
• illness
• ill
• fever

Examples of malady in a Sentence

in the olden days people were always suffering from some unknown malady

Recent Examples on the Web

This work transformed me and healed me of many modern maladies. —Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2025

An already ailing San Jose Sharks defense corps is now dealing with another malady as Shakir Mukhamadullin will miss Friday’s road game against the Utah Mammoth and likely Saturday’s home game against the Pittsburgh Penguins with an upper-body injury. —Curtis Pashelka, Mercury News, 17 Oct. 2025

However, Romo was seemingly afflicted with a malady that Prescott cannot inoculate himself against. —Robert Marvi, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025

He is expected to miss 2-3 weeks because of the malady, which may keep him out through the Ravens' Week 7 bye. —Jacob Camenker, USA Today, 5 Oct. 2025

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

Kids Definition

malady

noun

mal·​a·​dy ˈmal-əd-ē 

plural maladies

: a disease or disorder of the body or mind : ailment

Medical Definition

malady

noun

mal·​a·​dy ˈmal-əd-ē 

plural maladies

: disease, sickness

a fatal malady