Marasmus
/məˈræzməs/noun
A severe form of malnutrition marked by extreme wasting of body fat and muscle.
Did you know?Marasmus comes from Ancient Greek μαρασμός, a term for bodily wasting derived from a verb meaning “to wither” or “to waste away.”
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*mer-
“To wither, waste away, or die”
Ancient Greek
Greek
μαραίνω (marainō)
“I wither, waste away, or cause to fade”
Ancient Greek
Greek
μαρασμός (marasmos)
“A wasting away or state of emaciation”
17th Century
Latin
marasmus
“A wasting disease or progressive bodily decline”
17th–18th Century
Medical English
marasmus
“A pathological wasting condition”
Modern English
English
marasmus
“Severe protein-energy malnutrition causing extreme loss of fat and muscle”