Malaise, derived from Old French words for "poor" (mal) and "comfort" (aise), can mean "an indefinite feeling of debility or lack of health often indicative of or accompanying the onset of an illness" or "a vague sense of mental or moral ill-being."
The word is ascribed to a July 1979 speech made by Jimmy Carter, ostensibly about the energy crisis and economic turmoil plaguing the United States. In that speech, Carter spoke of a "crisis of confidence … a crisis that strikes at the very heart and soul and spirit of our national will." Although Carter never used the word malaise in the speech, he did use it with reporters when referring to the speech a few days later, and the label stuck.