What does marasmus mean?
Marasmus is the medical term for a severe, potentially life-threatening form of protein-energy malnutrition, especially in infants and young children. It is associated with extreme wasting, weakness, delayed growth, and often a visibly emaciated appearance. The condition generally results from a prolonged lack of sufficient calories and protein, whether because food is unavailable, illness interferes with absorption, or other health and social conditions prevent adequate nourishment. Although marasmus can affect people of any age, it is particularly associated with childhood malnutrition. The word is mainly used in clinical and public-health contexts, where its specific meaning helps distinguish severe nutritional wasting from other forms of weight loss. Marasmus is related to, but not synonymous with, cachexia, which describes severe wasting associated with an underlying disease.
nounMarasmus is a severe form of protein-energy malnutrition, especially in young children, characterized by extreme wasting and inadequate growth. It results from prolonged deficiency of calories and protein, often in the context of inadequate food intake or poor absorption.
- Severe protein-energy malnutrition, especially in infants and young children, marked by extreme wasting, weakness, and failure to grow.
"The child was diagnosed with marasmus after prolonged malnutrition and severe weight loss."
"Health workers treated the infant for marasmus after the family returned from a region affected by severe food shortages."
"The report noted that marasmus remained a serious cause of preventable childhood illness in underserved communities."
The plural marasmuses is used when referring to multiple cases of the condition.
"The medical team treated several marasmuses in the children's ward."
Marasmus is one of medicine's most precise words for the dangerous form of wasting that can result when a child's body is denied sustained nourishment.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does marasmus come from?
The word comes from New Latin marasmus, a medical borrowing of Greek marasmos, meaning “wasting” or “consumption.” The Greek term is associated with the verb marain, “to waste” or “to decay.” The modern medical use developed in the study of severe malnutrition, and related English forms include marasmic and marasmoid.
Related word forms
How marasmus is actually used
The term is primarily medical and technical. In general writing, it is more often encountered in public-health and clinical discussions than in everyday conversation.
Easily confused with marasmus
Marasmus is primarily severe malnutrition and wasting caused by inadequate nutrition, whereas cachexia is severe loss of body weight and muscle associated with an underlying disease such as cancer or chronic infection.