English disease

proper noun

Football (soccer) hooliganism.

OriginFrench maladie anglaise ← Polish angielska choroba ← German englische Krankheit →
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Meanings

proper nounthe English disease
  1. Football (soccer) hooliganism.
  2. Depression (especially suicidal).
  3. Hypochondria.
  4. Sweating sickness.
  5. Gout.
  6. Rickets.
  7. Syphilis.
  8. Bronchitis.
  9. Tuberculosis.
  10. Laziness; low motivation.
  11. Poor industrial relations and the resulting economic weakness.
  12. Masochism, especially a fondness for flagellation.
  13. Gambling.
  14. Haemophilia.
  15. Homosexuality.

Origin

  1. Russianангли́йская боле́знь
  2. Germanenglische Krankheit
  3. Polishangielska choroba
  4. Frenchmaladie anglaise
  5. EnglishEnglish disease

A calque of phrases from various languages, including the French maladie anglaise, Polish angielska choroba, German englische Krankheit, and the Russian англи́йская боле́знь (anglíjskaja boléznʹ).

More words from French, Polish, German

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

English disease. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/English%20disease

MLA

“English disease.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/English%20disease. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “English disease,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/English%20disease.

Source: English disease on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.