Word
anorexia
Phoneticsanorex·ia
US/ˌænɝˈɛksiə/
UK/ˌænɔːɹˈɛksiə/
Definitions
01eating disorder
n. a serious mental health condition where a person limits their food intake to a dangerous level because they fear gaining weight.
n. Abbreviation for anorexia nervosa; a clinical eating disorder characterized by an obsessive desire to lose weight by refusing to eat.
“The doctor explained that anorexia is a complex illness that requires professional support.”
“Early intervention is critical in treating anorexia, as the physiological effects of prolonged starvation can become life-threatening without specialized psychiatric care.”
Technical
Usage
Often used as an uncountable noun in general contexts.
Synonyms
02loss of appetite
n. a medical symptom where you lose your desire to eat, often because of a physical illness or medication.
n. The symptomatic loss of appetite for food, occurring as a secondary effect of various physiological diseases or medical treatments.
“One side effect of the new medication was a temporary anorexia.”
“The patient presented with significant weight loss and persistent anorexia following the aggressive course of chemotherapy.”
Technical · Formal
Usage
In this sense, it is frequently used as a countable noun to describe a specific symptom.
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“Despite my credentials in nutrition and psychology, my deepest understanding of eating disorders comes from my own personal experience with anorexia.” “They restricted the rats’ food and allowed them to voluntarily access a running wheel to model symptoms of anorexia .” Etymology
From Ancient Greek ἀνορεξία (anorexía), from ἀν- (an-, “without”) + ὄρεξις (órexis, “appetite”). By surface analysis, an- + -orexia.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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englishreference.com/q/anorexia