disease

disease — noun

1. an abnormal state in a living body where normal functions are disrupted, typical

1.nounA2
Definition

an abnormal state in a living body where normal functions are disrupted, typically resulting from infection, genetic defects, or organ failure

Example

The doctor told Kofi that his heart disease could be managed with medication and exercise.

uncountable: heart disease / kidney disease

Many children in the region were vaccinated to prevent the spread of the disease.

passive: 'spread of the disease'

Common collocations
  • catch a disease
  • spread a disease
  • cause a disease
  • treat a disease
  • heart disease / lung disease / kidney disease
  • rare disease
  • infectious disease
  • chronic disease
Synonyms
  • illness

    broader and more everyday term; 'illness' can describe the experience of being unwell, while 'disease' suggests a specific medical condition

  • sickness

    more informal and can include temporary stomach upset; 'sickness' often refers to feeling ill rather than a lasting condition

  • disorder

    used especially for mental or functional conditions (e.g. sleep disorder); feels more clinical and less severe than 'disease'

  • infection

    specifically caused by germs; a subset of diseases, not all diseases are infections

Antonyms
  • health

    the state of being free from disease

Grammar Patterns

the disease

a disease

[modifier] + disease

disease + [verb]

Usage Note

Unlike injury (傷), disease refers to an internal condition rather than harm from an external physical event. In everyday conversation, 'disease' often names a specific condition (heart disease, Lyme disease), while 'illness' is more general.

Common Mistakes

She caught a disease after falling off her bike and breaking her arm.
She got an injury after falling off her bike and breaking her arm.
'disease' is an internal condition, not harm from an accident.
Cancer is a disease which it can spread to other organs.
Cancer is a disease that can spread to other organs.
Do not add an extra pronoun after the relative pronoun.

2. a serious and harmful problem that spreads through a society, organisation, or g

2.nounB2
Definition

a serious and harmful problem that spreads through a society, organisation, or group of people, damaging its health or well-being

Example

Faisal called poverty a disease that slowly destroys communities from the inside.

figurative: 'call [something] a disease'

The corruption scandal convinced Jessica that greed had become a disease in the banking industry.

Common collocations
  • a social disease
  • a disease of greed / poverty / corruption
  • a disease affecting [group]
  • become a disease in [place]
  • cure the disease of [problem]
Synonyms
  • plague

    more dramatic and intense; 'plague' suggests widespread destruction and is often used with 'of' (a plague of violence)

  • blight

    suggests something that prevents growth or flourishing; common in urban/social contexts (urban blight)

  • cancer

    carries a stronger connotation of something that grows uncontrollably and destroys from within

Antonyms
  • remedy

    something that cures or corrects a harmful situation

Grammar Patterns

a + [modifier] + disease + of/among [group]

Usage Note

Always used with a modifier or in a 'disease of/among [group]' construction — never alone in the figurative sense. The modifier identifies the problem (greed, poverty, dishonesty) or the affected group. This sense is common in journalism, opinion writing, and political commentary.

Common Mistakes

Disease is everywhere in our society.' (without modifier)
Greed is a disease that is spreading through our society.
The figurative sense always needs a modifier or a 'disease of [something]' structure.

Word family

  • diseased
    adjectiveB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

These four words overlap but differ in scope and register. 'Illness' is the broadest and most everyday term — it covers the experience of being unwell and does not require a specific medical label. 'Sickness' is more informal and often describes temporary stomach upsets or feeling unwell ('motion sickness'), though it can overlap fully with 'illness' in casual speech. 'Disorder' feels more clinical and is preferred for mental or functional conditions ('anxiety disorder', 'sleep disorder'); it is usually less severe-sounding than 'disease.' 'Infection' is the narrowest — it refers specifically to invasion by germs (bacteria, viruses, fungi), which can cause disease but is not the same as disease itself. For example: 'She caught an infection from the wound, which developed into a disease of the skin.' Knowing these distinctions helps learners choose the right word for the right context.

illness ↗sickness ↗disorder ↗infection ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • symptoms of a disease
  • risk of disease
  • disease control
  • outbreak of disease

Prepositions

Etymology

FrenchEnglish

The word 'disease' entered English from Old French 'desaise,' which combined 'des-' (meaning 'without') and 'aise' (meaning 'ease' or 'comfort'). The original meaning was simply 'discomfort' or 'trouble,' without a medical sense. By the late 14th century, it had narrowed to refer specifically to sickness or illness — a loss of the body's ease. The figurative use, referring to harmful conditions in society, appeared in the 17th century and remains common today.