Standard Lemma guide

malacia

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Abnormal softening of organs or tissues of the human body.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: medicine, pathology, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

An abnormal craving for certain types of food.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, obsolete, uncountable

Topics: medicine, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

a state of abnormal softening of tissue

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: pathology

Narrower terms: osteomalacia

History

Etymology

From Latin malacia, from Ancient Greek μαλακία (malakía, “softness, sickness”). By surface analysis, malac- (“soft”) + -ia (“disease”).

Across languages

Translations

5 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Polish: malacja — softening of organs or tissue
  • Polish: rozmiękanie — softening of organs or tissue
  • French: malacie — craving
  • Galician: malacía — craving
  • Polish: malacja — craving