illness
/ˈɪl.nəs/
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Also seen as: illnesses
Sense 1
Meaning · English
An instance (episode) of a disease or poor health.
Noun
Examples
Her grandmother had passed away after a long illness.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
A state of bad health or disease.
Noun
Examples
Many working days this year have been lost through illness.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “illness” mean?
An instance (episode) of a disease or poor health.
Is “illness” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.