sickness
UK: ˈsɪknəs | US: ˈsɪknəs
n. the state of being ill or unhealthy
n. a feeling of nausea or disgust
n. (figurative) a harmful or corrupt condition (e.g., moral sickness)
The word "sickness" combines the Old English root "sēoc" (meaning "ill" or "weak") with the suffix "-ness," which forms abstract nouns denoting a state or quality. Over time, "sēoc" evolved into "sick," retaining its core meaning of physical or mental unhealthiness. The suffix "-ness" (from Old English "-nes") is a productive morpheme in English, often used to convert adjectives into nouns (e.g., "darkness," "happiness"). Together, "sickness" literally means "the state of being sick," reflecting both literal illness and metaphorical decay.
Her sickness kept her in bed for a week.
The smell of rotten food filled him with sickness.
The documentary exposed the sickness of corruption in the government.
He felt a wave of sickness after the rollercoaster ride.
The village suffered from a mysterious sickness that baffled doctors.