Meanings
- archaicSuffering, distress.
Downe fell he ſounding, and the king, thus plaide with his miſeaſe: […]
1598, Homer, translated by George Chapman, Seaven Bookes of the Iliades of Homere, Prince of Poets, Iohn Windet, page 1243 more examples
And moꝛeouer, the miſeaſe of hell ſhall bee in delaute of meat and dꝛinke.
1602, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Parſons tale”, in The workes of Geffray ChaucerAnd Nory's heart was at the tale right sair, But her misease came frae another care: Her heart for LINDY now began to heal, And she's in swidder great to think him leal: […]
1812, Alexander Ross, Helenore: Or the Fortunate Shepherdess, A. Smith, page 76And therefore saith Job to God, ' Suffer, Lord, that I may a while bewail and beweep, ere I go without returning to the dark land, covered with the darkness of death ; to the land of misease and of darkness, whereas is the shadow of death; whereas is no order nor ordinance, but grisly dread that ever shall last.'
1875, Charles Cowden Clarke, The Canterbury tales of Chaucer, with notes by T. Tyrwhitt., page 196
Origin
- Old Frenchmesaise
- Middle Englishmyssease
- Englishmisease
From Middle English myssease, from Old French mesaise, from mes- (“mis-”) + aise (“ease”). Equivalent to mis- + ease. Cognate with French mésaise.
More words from Middle English, Old French
Full word history & related roots →Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with misease
Anagrams
Cite this entry
misease. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/misease
“misease.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/misease. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “misease,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/misease.
Source: misease on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.