illness
- 01 A2 Elementary
a specific disease or period of being sick.
a specific instance of disease or a period of sickness. Countable in this sense.
Simple“She missed two weeks of school because of a sudden illness.”
In context“The doctor struggled to diagnose the mysterious illness that had affected several passengers during the long flight.”
UsageOften used with adjectives like 'serious', 'minor', or 'chronic'.
PitfallHe has a long illness. He has a chronic illness.While 'long' is understandable, 'chronic' or 'prolonged' are the standard adjectives for an illness that lasts a long time.
- 02 B1 Intermediate
the general state of being unwell or having poor health.
the general condition of being unhealthy or diseased. Uncountable in this abstract sense.
Simple“The company provides insurance to help workers during times of illness.”
In context“Public health initiatives aim to reduce the burden of illness in urban populations through better sanitation and vaccination programmes.”
UsageOften used in formal contexts regarding public health or statistics.
Usage mental illness
From ill + -ness.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.