marasmus

UK: /məˈræzməs/ US: (mə raz′məs)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

ma•ras•mus  (mə raz′məs), n. [Pathol.]

1. Pathology malnutrition occurring in infants and young children, caused by insufficient intake of calories or protein and characterized by thinness, dry skin, poor muscle development, and irritability.

• Greek marasmós a wasting away, akin to maraínein to weaken, waste away
• Neo-Latin
• 1650–60

ma•ras′mic, adj. 
ma•ras′moid, adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

marasmus / məˈræzməs/ noun

1. general emaciation and wasting, esp of infants, thought to be associated with severe malnutrition or impaired utilization of nutrients

Etymology: 17th Century: from New Latin, from Greek marasmos, from marainein to waste

maˈrasmic adjective