Word
morbidity
Phoneticsmor·bid·i·ty, stress on the second syllable
US/mɔɹˈbɪdəti/
UK/mɔːbˈɪdɪti/
Definition
n. the state of being sick or the rate at which people in a group are ill. It is often used to describe how common a specific disease is in a certain area.
n. the state of being ill or the prevalence of a specific disease within a population. Often used in medical statistics to measure the frequency of a condition.
Examples
“The hospital reported a high rate of morbidity this year.”
“Public health officials are tracking the morbidity of the flu to determine if a new vaccine is needed.”
“While the mortality rate remained stable, the rising morbidity of chronic respiratory diseases highlighted the urgent need for improved urban air quality standards.”
Examples
simple
“The hospital reported a high rate of morbidity this year.”
contextual
“Public health officials are tracking the morbidity of the flu to determine if a new vaccine is needed.”
complex
“While the mortality rate remained stable, the rising morbidity of chronic respiratory diseases highlighted the urgent need for improved urban air quality standards.”
Real-World Examples
“Heat exposure has been linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, especially among women, a major review , external of studies on the effects of heat exposure found.” Etymology
Recorded since 1721; from morbid + -ity, from Latin morbidus (“diseased”), from morbus (“disease”), from the root of morī (“to die”) or from Proto-Indo-European *mer- (“to rub, pound, wear away”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/morbidity