malacia

The story

1. Ancient Greek · derived fromμαλακία“softness, sickness”
2. Latin · borrowed frommalacia
3. English todaymalacia

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

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from 19th c. Abnormal softening of organs or tissues of the human body.
• from 17th c. An abnormal craving for certain types of food.