sickliness

English

Etymology

sickly +‎ -ness

Noun

sickliness (usually uncountable, plural sicklinesses)

1. The state or characteristic of weakness, incapacity, or physical distress due to poor health, especially of a chronic nature.
   • c. 1595 William Shakespeare, Richard II, act 2, scene 1:

     I do beseech your majesty, impute his words

     To wayward sickliness and age in him.

   • 1843, Charles Dickens, Martin Chuzzlewit, chapter 9:

     Gradually it gave place to a smile; a feeble, helpless, melancholy smile; bland, almost to sickliness.

   • 1847, Anne Brontë, Agnes Grey, chapter 7:

     My devotions were disturbed with a feeling of languor and sickliness, and the tormenting fear of its becoming worse: and a depressing headache was generally my companion throughout the day.

Synonyms

• unwellness

Related terms

• sick
• sickness

 

Translations

the state or characteristic of weakness, incapacity, or physical distress due to poor health

• Irish: meath-thinneas m
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