When people get indigestion, they are often affected by nausea, heartburn, and gas-things that can cause the world's greatest gastronome to curse the world's most delectable dishes. So, it is no wonder that dyspepsia, a word for indigestion, has also come to mean "ill humor" or "disgruntlement." The word itself is ultimately derived from the Greek prefix dys- ("faulty" or "impaired") and the verb pessein ("to cook" or "to digest"). To please the wordmonger's appetite, we would like to end with this tasty morsel: Dyspepsia has an opposite, eupepsia-a rarely used word meaning "good digestion."
Example Sentences
He is suffering from dyspepsia.
Recent Examples on the WebThe Europeans who encountered indigenous people in Mexico in the 1500s noted that chocolate was used to treat numerous ailments ranging from dysentery and indigestion, to fatigue and dyspepsia. Jeffrey Miller, oregonlive, 9 Aug. 2022 The Europeans who encountered indigenous people in Mexico in the 1500s noted that chocolate was used to treat numerous ailments ranging from dysentery and indigestion, to fatigue and dyspepsia. Jeffrey Miller, oregonlive, 9 Aug. 2022 Take for example an experiment that administered capsaicin to volunteers with functional dyspepsia as well as healthy folks. Patrick Wilson, Outside Online, 21 Aug. 2020 Beyond acute physical and psychological stress, what else can aggravate visceral hypersensitivity in people with IBS, dyspepsia, or other gut disorders? Patrick Wilson, Outside Online, 21 Aug. 2020 To diagnose it, then—this diegetic dyspepsia—a comprehensive examination of the patient must be performed. Jason Kehe, Wired, 7 July 2021 Another risk of nighttime eating is dyspepsia, more commonly known as indigestion or an upset stomach. Carolyn L. Todd, SELF, 23 Aug. 2019 And functional dyspepsia, which affects the stomach and is otherwise known as indigestion, affects nearly 32% of the population, according to a 2004 study published in The American Journal of Gastroenterology. Colleen Stinchcombe, Woman's Day, 29 Oct. 2018 Upper stomach pain or feelings of fullness paired with bloating may be indicative of dyspepsia, for example, whereas lower abdomen cramping and a change in bowel habits could point to IBS. Colleen Stinchcombe, Woman's Day, 29 Oct. 2018 See More
Word History
Etymology
borrowed from Latin, borrowed from Greek dyspepsía, from dys-dys- + pépsis "cooking, ripening, digestion" (from pep-, base of péttein, péssein, péptein "to cook, ripen, digest" + -sis-sis) + -ia-ia entry 1 — more at cook entry 1