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

• affection
• ail
• ailment
• bug
• complaint
• complication
• condition
• disease
• disorder
• distemper
• distemperature
• fever
• ill
• illness
• infirmity
• sickness
• trouble

Examples of malady in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples on the Web

Glasnow left his past two starts due to separate physical maladies. —Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2025

The latest malady — the seventh concussion of his career — forced Dixon’s hand, but has also shaped a big-picture perspective. —Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 18 Apr. 2025

Weinstein has been reeling from numerous maladies, including heart problems and leukemia, in his half-decade behind bars. —Victoria Bekiempis, Vulture, 15 Apr. 2025

Researchers are connecting our diets to a surge in all sorts of health maladies, including obesity, heart disease and cancer. —Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 1 Apr. 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