terminally ill — suffering from a disease that cannot be cured and will eventually cause death
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: suffering from a disease that cannot be cured and will eventually cause death
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈtɜːrmɪnəli ɪl/
Example Sentences
- Despite being terminally ill, she maintained her sense of humor and joked that she finally had a valid excuse to skip her nephew's boring wedding.
- The terminally ill man decided to fulfill his bucket list, which surprisingly included learning to juggle and eating ice cream for breakfast every day.
- Hospice care provides comfort and support for terminally ill patients and their families during difficult times.
terminally ill
ADJECTIVE[/ˈtɜːrmɪnəli ɪl/]
suffering from a disease that cannot be cured and will eventually cause death

The terminally ill grandfather smiles softly as his family gathers around his bedside.

Terminally ill, but writing his will still
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
Terminal derives from Latin terminus, meaning 'end' or 'boundary,' originally referring to the Roman god of boundaries. Ill comes from Old Norse illr, meaning 'bad' or 'evil.' The compound phrase terminally ill emerged in modern medical English to describe a condition in which a patient is approaching the end of life due to irreversible disease.
Breakdown
terminal (from Latin terminus, 'end, boundary') + ill (from Old Norse illr, 'bad, evil'). The adverbial form terminally modifies ill to indicate a severe, end-stage condition.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“Despite being terminally ill, she maintained her sense of humor and joked that she finally had a valid excuse to skip her nephew's boring wedding.”
“The terminally ill man decided to fulfill his bucket list, which surprisingly included learning to juggle and eating ice cream for breakfast every day.”
“Hospice care provides comfort and support for terminally ill patients and their families during difficult times.”
“The research focuses on improving quality of life for terminally ill children through innovative therapies.”
📚Related Words
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