misery

Misery is defined as the condition of suffering.

(noun)

An example of misery is living during a war without enough water or food.

Misery means an extremely unhappy feeling.

(noun)

An example of misery is the sadness someone feels after a family member dies.

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See misery in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun pl. miseries

  1. a condition of great wretchedness or suffering because of pain, sorrow, poverty, etc.; distress
  2. a cause of such suffering; pain, sorrow, poverty, squalor, etc.
  3. Dialectal a pain (in some part of the body)

Origin: ME miserie < OFr < L miseria < miser, wretched

See misery in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun pl. mis·er·ies
  1. a. The state of suffering and want as a result of physical circumstances or extreme poverty.
    b. Mental or emotional unhappiness or distress: “Our happiness or misery depends on our dispositions, and not on our circumstances” (Martha Washington).
  2. A cause or source of suffering.
  3. Informal A physical ache or ailment.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English miserie

Origin: , from Old French

Origin: , from Latin miseria

Origin: , from miser, wretched

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