noun
malaise
muh-LAYZ
Malaise (noun) means a vague feeling of physical discomfort or unease, often an early sign of illness. Example: “She woke up with a mild malaise and a slight fever.”
noun
1
A vague feeling of physical discomfort or unease, often an early sign of illness.
"She woke up with a mild malaise and a slight fever."
2
A general sense of unease, dissatisfaction, or low morale in a group or society.
"A deep economic malaise settled over the country during the recession."
"There was a sense of malaise among staff after the layoffs were announced."
How to use malaise
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA vague sense that something is wrong, whether it is your body feeling off or a whole society feeling down.
Common pairings
a general malaise
economic malaise
a sense of malaise
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Word forms
- Plural
- malaises
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She woke up with a mild _____ and a slight fever.
Etymology
From French malaise, literally "ill ease" — mal- ("bad") plus aise ("ease").
Synonyms
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Rhymes for malaise
See all rhymes for malaise →Frequently asked questions
What does “malaise” mean?
The word “malaise” means a vague feeling of physical discomfort or unease, often an early sign of illness. In plain terms, a vague sense that something is wrong, whether it is your body feeling off or a whole society feeling down.
How do you pronounce “malaise”?
“Malaise” is pronounced muh-LAYZ (/məˈleɪz/ in IPA).
How do you use “malaise” in a sentence?
Here is “malaise” used in a sentence: “She woke up with a mild malaise and a slight fever.”
What part of speech is “malaise”?
“Malaise” is a noun.
Where does the word “malaise” come from?
The word “malaise” comes from French. From French malaise, literally "ill ease" — mal- ("bad") plus aise ("ease").
How many meanings does “malaise” have?
“Malaise” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a vague feeling of physical discomfort or unease, often an early sign of illness.
