adjective / noun

sick

SIK/sɪk/

Affected by illness.

The sick woman checks her thermometer while sitting up in bed.

A visibly feverish young woman sits propped up in bed, holding a tissue beneath her reddened nose and checking a thermometer showing a high temperature.

Etymology

Old English seoc covered illness and weakness as well as emotional distress. The selected meaning continues its bodily sense; the word’s deeper origin is uncertain.

In context

NBC News0:30

I'm sick with this disease, it's called Morgellons and it's really weird.

Does Parasitic Skin Disease - Morgellons - Even Exist? | NBC Left Field

More examples

I stay home from work when I feel sick.
He feels sicker today than he did yesterday.
The clinic provides free care for the sick.

Forms

sick · sicker · sickest

sickness noun — The condition of being affected by illness.

sickly adjective — Often ill or in poor health.

Similar words

ill: A direct alternative, often used in more formal contexts.
unwell: Often suggests mild illness or avoids describing specific symptoms.
ailing: Usually describes ongoing poor health rather than a brief illness.