Ailment
/ˈeɪl.mənt/noun
A physical disorder or illness.
Did you know?In Middle English, 'ail' meant to suffer or cause harm, connecting directly to our modern understanding of sickness and misfortune.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ai̯le
“to harm, to be ill”
Old English
Old English
ælgian
“to suffer, to be ill”
Middle English
Middle English
ailen
“to cause pain or discomfort”
Modern English
English
ailment
“a term for a physical or mental disorder.”
Explore more surprising origins