occupational disease
1
3.9
- noun
- /ˌɑkjəˈpeɪʃənl dɪˈziːz/
- Specialized
:
enfermedad ocupacional
- An employee who worked in the factory for the production of weapons and was exposed to lead for many years can be recognized by national insurance as having an occupational disease and receive compensation, as in the case of someone who worked for many years installing roofs and was exposed to asbestos dust and fibers.
Examples
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Each year, some 4,500 American workers die on the job, and 50,000 perish from occupational diseases.
Blog text (27) -
How often does someone thank you for preventing an occupational disease?
Academic text (2003) -
You wrote this article about occupational disease and women and it came out this year.
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We need to keep up-to-date on these diseases because they are still occupational diseases for many people working with animals.
Academic text (1996) -
The researchers said: "The study uncovered a grim pattern of occupational diseases."
Academic text (2011) -
We won't be examining occupational diseases such as miner's lung or asbestosis.
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According to S. E. Harmon, the first publication concerned with occupational diseases of musicians was written in 1713, but there was little interest in musicians' health issues until the 1960s and 1970s.
Academic text (2005) -
Widespread industrial waste has caused an increasing number of occupational diseases, poisoning by metal and chemical constituents, and accidents (EPA 1989a).
Academic text (1994) -
Following the release of the results, coupled with clinically confirmed diagnoses and corroborating evidence of exposure, hundreds of former employees and their families received compensation for occupational diseases that had previously gone unrecognised.
Academic text (2011) -
Each year, approximately 50,000 American workers perish from occupational diseases caused by exposure to harmful substances in their workplaces.
Synonyms
1
5.7
A disease caused by harmful work conditions, like dust or chemicals
Antonyms
∞
1.0
The condition of a person's body and mind, especially being free from illness or injury
How Severe
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a disease caused by conditions or substances in the workplace' is directly derivable from combining 'occupational' (related to work) with 'disease' (an illness). This adjective+noun composition is a regular, cross-linguistically common pattern, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents should understand the MWE.
Etymology
Occupational disease comes from two simple words: occupational meaning 'from your job' and disease meaning 'an illness', so picture miners or factory workers breathing dust or chemicals for years until they become sick. That's why it means 'a sickness caused by work'.