# disease

/dɪˈziz/ (US) · /dɪzˈiːz/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/disease
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. illness

noun · CEFR A2

an illness or medical condition that stops the body or mind from working correctly.

For teachers: a specific pathological condition with a characteristic set of signs and symptoms; it may affect the whole body or any of its parts.

- The doctor explained that the disease could be treated with medicine.
- Researchers are working to identify the genetic markers that make certain populations more susceptible to the disease.

### 2. social problem

noun · CEFR C1 · Literary

a harmful or bad situation in society or in a person's character.

For teachers: a harmful or corrupting condition or influence within a social or moral context.

- Greed was described as a disease that was destroying the city.
- The philosopher argued that apathy was a moral disease that threatened the very foundations of democratic society.

### 3. to infect

verb · CEFR C2 · Formal

to make someone or something sick with a disease.

For teachers: to infect with a pathogen or to cause a diseased state.

- The contaminated water began to disease the local wildlife.
- The pathogen was specifically engineered to disease the crops without affecting the local insect population.

## Examples

- The doctor is studying a rare heart disease.
- Vaccinations have helped to eliminate many infectious diseases that used to be very dangerous for children.
- While some chronic diseases are the result of genetic predispositions, many others are exacerbated by environmental factors and sedentary lifestyle choices common in modern urban settings.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.