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Definition of "deficiency disease" [deficiency disease]

  • A disease, such as rickets or scurvy, that is caused by a dietary deficiency of specific nutrients, especially a vitamin or mineral. The disease may stem from insufficient intake, digestion, absorption, or utilization of a nutrient. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Words like "deficiency disease"