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Marasmus

Medical Terms
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A severe form of malnutrition marked by extreme wasting of the body. In poetry it often symbolises utter decline, poverty, or the slow extinguishing of life.

Detailed Definition
Marasmus is a condition of extreme malnutrition in which the body wastes away due to prolonged lack of nutrients. Historically it was associated with famine, poverty, or chronic illness, especially among children and the elderly. The visible thinning of the body made the disease a stark symbol of deprivation. In literary contexts poets sometimes invoke marasmus to emphasise the fragility of life under harsh conditions, portraying physical wasting as a metaphor for social neglect or the draining of vitality from individuals and communities.
Example
Example in poetry:
The child wasted away from severe marasmus; Poets use marasmus to describe extreme neglect; The famine resulted in cases of marasmus in the village; He wrote of the marasmus of the dying empire; Marasmus is a form of severe malnutrition; The verse depicted the skeletal frame of marasmus.
Additional Notes
Marasmus is a severe form of malnutrition causing extreme wasting. In poetry it symbolises profound decline or deprivation. Writers may use the term metaphorically to describe societies drained of vitality or individuals weakened by long hardship. The stark image of physical wasting emphasises themes of poverty, neglect, and endurance.
Also Known As
Severe Wasting Infantile Marasmus
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