From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
malady \mal"a*dy\ (m[a^]l"[.a]*d[y^]), n.; pl. {Maladies}
(m[a^]l"[.a]*d[i^]z). [F. maladie, fr. malade ill, sick, OF.
also, malabde, fr. L. male habitus, i. e., ill-kept, not in
good condition. See {Malice}, and {Habit}.]
1. Any disease of the human body; a distemper, disorder, or
indisposition, proceeding from impaired, defective, or
morbid organic functions; especially, a lingering or
deep-seated disorder.
[1913 Webster]
The maladies of the body may prove medicines to the
mind. --Buckminster.
[1913 Webster]
2. A moral or mental defect or disorder.
[1913 Webster]
Love's a malady without a cure. --Dryden.
[1913 Webster]
Syn: Disorder; distemper; sickness; ailment; disease;
illness. See {Disease}.
[1913 Webster]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
malady
n 1: any unwholesome or desperate condition; "what maladies
afflict our nation?"
2: impairment of normal physiological function affecting part or
all of an organism [syn: {illness}, {unwellness}, {malady},
{sickness}] [ant: {health}, {wellness}]
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