Definition of marasmus
: a condition of chronic undernourishment occurring especially in children and usually caused by a diet deficient in calories and proteins
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Origin and Etymology of marasmus
Late Latin, from Greek marasmos, from marainein to waste away
First Known Use: 1574
Medical Dictionary
marasmus
playMedical Definition of marasmus
: severe malnutrition affecting infants and children especially of impoverished regions that is characterized by poor growth, loss of subcutaneous fat, muscle atrophy, apathy, and pronounced weight loss and is usually caused by a diet deficient in calories and proteins but sometimes by disease (as dysentery or giardiasis)
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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about marasmus
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