Usage note Expand. Media, like data, is the plural form of a word borrowed directly from Latin. The singular, medium, early developed the meaning âan intervening agency, means, or instrumentâ and was first applied to newspapers two centuries ago. In the 1920s media began to appear as a singular collective noun, sometimes with the plural medias. This singular use is now common in the fields of mass communication and advertising, but it is not frequently found outside them: The media is (or are) not antibusiness.
Definition of illness for English Language Learners. : 1  a condition of being unhealthy in your body or mind. : 2  a specific condition that prevents your body or mind from working normally : a sickness or disease.
mental illness noun. [uncountable] the state of feeling ill or of having a disease He missed five days of school because of illness. patients who are recovering from major surgery or serious illness. Synonyms and related words. General words for illnesses, diseases and medical conditions:illness, disease, sickness... Explore Thesaurus. a. [countable] a particular disease, or a period of being ill She had had no serious illnesses, and had never been in hospital.