ENGLISH
REFERENCE

ailment

n.
C1 Advanced US //ˈeɪɫmənt// UK //ˈeɪlmənt// ail·ment

n. a medical problem or a physical illness. It is a slightly formal word that you might hear in a doctor's office or in a story.

n. a medical condition or physical illness. Often used in a literary or formal context to describe a specific health issue.


SIMPLE

The doctor treated the patient's minor ailment with rest.

CONTEXTUAL

While the athlete's injury was serious, his previous ailments were nothing more than common colds.

COMPLEX

The protagonist's journey is marked by a series of minor ailments that serve as metaphors for his growing sense of isolation and physical decay.

Synonyms
Origin

From ail + -ment.

© 2026 English Reference