Phthisis
//ˈ(f)θaɪsɪs// noun
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
Noun
- 1 An atrophy of the body or part of the body, especially pulmonary tuberculosis. archaic, countable, uncountable
"For some months to my becoming acquainted with him, his physicians had declared him in a confirmed phthisis. It was his custom, indeed, to speak calmly of his approaching dissolution, as a matter neither to be avoided nor regretted."
- 2 involving the lungs with progressive wasting of the body wordnet
Example
More examples"For some months to my becoming acquainted with him, his physicians had declared him in a confirmed phthisis. It was his custom, indeed, to speak calmly of his approaching dissolution, as a matter neither to be avoided nor regretted."
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin phthisis, from Ancient Greek φθίσις (phthísis, “consumption, decline, wasting away”), from φθίω (phthíō, “I waste away”).
Related phrases
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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.