undernourished

Thân thiện

The doctor examined the undernourished child in the clinic.

Definition

Adjective: 1. Suffering from a lack of adequate food or nutrients for health and growth: Describes a person, animal, or population whose diet does not provide sufficient calories, protein, vitamins, or other essential nutrients, often resulting in poor physical condition.

Usage

The word "undernourished" is used to describe a state of insufficient nutrition. It is more specific than "hungry" and often implies a chronic condition that affects health and development. It can be applied to individuals or groups. - It is commonly used in medical, humanitarian, and developmental contexts. - It often appears with adverbs like "severely," "chronically," or "badly" to emphasize the degree.

Examples

• The aid agency focused on helping undernourished children in the refugee camp.
• Despite having enough food to avoid starvation, many people in the region remain undernourished due to a lack of dietary variety.
• A doctor can identify undernourished patients by specific clinical signs.

Advanced Usage

• "Undernourished" vs. "Malnourished": While often used interchangeably, "malnourished" is a broader term that can refer to any form of improper nutrition, including deficiencies, imbalances, or excesses. "Undernourished" typically refers specifically to a deficiency in the overall quantity of food or calories.
• Figurative Use: Occasionally used in a figurative sense to describe something deprived of necessary resources for development.
  • The artist felt her creativity was undernourished in the rigid corporate environment.

Variants and Related Words

• Undernourishment (noun): The condition of being undernourished.
  • Chronic undernourishment can stunt a child's growth.
• Undernutrition (noun): A technical synonym for undernourishment, often used in scientific and medical writing.
• Underfed (adjective): A close synonym, emphasizing a simple lack of sufficient food quantity.

Synonyms

• Malnourished (adj): Suffering from poor nutrition due to an insufficient or poorly balanced diet.
• Underfed (adj): Having been given too little food.
• Starving (adj): Suffering or dying from hunger (stronger, more acute than undernourished).

Antonyms

• Well-nourished (adj): Having received plenty of good food to maintain health.
• Fed (adj): Provided with food (often used in compounds like "well-fed").
• Healthy (adj): In good health, which proper nutrition supports.

Học thuật

Adjective

1. not getting adequate food
   • gaunt underfed children
   • badly undernourished

Từ đồng nghĩa

• ill-fed
• underfed