Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[mings]

Are these words sickness, illness and disease the same meaning?
Thanks.

[butane317]

Yes, they are all very similar. However, they each have a little bit of a different "feeling" that comes with them.

Sickness means something temporary, like a winter cold, or a small case of the flu. It will go away soon. It is not usually serious.

Disease means something permanent, like AIDS, or hepatitis. It will not go away any time soon, or maybe not at all. It is much more serious.

Illness is a catch-all. It means both of the above, or somewhere in between. There's nothing specific about it.

Remember, these may not be the exact dictionary definitions. These definitions are the way that I learned the words and the way that I think of them, but they may not apply exactly the same way to every English speaker. I am American. I do not know if these same differences are in British English. Good luck with English and feel free to ask more questions!
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Definitions of words I give are the definitions as I learned them and as I use them in everyday life. I am from the midwest area of America. People speaking English in other parts of the world, or even America, may use the words differently than I do.

[advoca]

Dear Mings,

Interesting question.

The English language is full of subtleties nuances and similarities. In some respects, sickness, illness and disease can be considered as synonyms.

You could describe Malaria as a disease, an illness, or a sickness and nobody would disagree. But you could also say it was an affliction, an ailment, a complaint, a disorder, and a malady.

However, there are examples when you cannot use these words interchangeably. For example, some people suffer from car sickness, or sea sickness. Pregnant women are liable to suffer from morning sickness. You could not say they suffer from sea illness or sea disease. They suffer from sea sickness (and so on) and nothing else.

Sickness is the state of being sick (ill) In America you can be off work because you have been sick. In Britain you would be off work because you have been ill. In Britain, being sick means that you have been vomiting.

If you are sick then this could mean that you are disappointed, embarrassed, or miserable, as well as feeling nauseous and wanting to vomit.

There is something known as sick humour which deals with offensive or unpleasant subjects.

Somebody who has abnormal or unnatural tendencies could be described as being sick

So you see, although the three words sickness, illness and disease are synonyms they have to be used with care.

[mings]

Hi butane and advoca,
Thank you for your kind help.
I am glad that I understand what the three interesting words mean and how to use them correctly now.
Thanks very much again.