# marasmus

> English word · Noun · IPA /məˈɹæz.məs/

## Definitions
1. A condition of chronic undernourishment especially in children, caused by a diet deficient in calories or the inability to digest protein and presenting as a severe loss of body weight.

## Etymology
Borrowed from Late Latin marasmus, from Ancient Greek μᾰρᾰσμός (mărăsmós, “withering”, noun).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/marasmus