ENGLISH
REFERENCE

anorexic

n. countable
C1 Advanced US //ˌænɝˈɛksɪk// UK //ˌænɔːɹˈɛksɪk// anorex·ic Medicine
Definition

n. a person who has an eating disorder and is very underweight because they refuse to eat enough food.

n. a person suffering from anorexia nervosa, characterized by an obsessive fear of gaining weight and a refusal to maintain a healthy body mass index.


SIMPLE

The clinic provides specialized care for anorexic patients.

CONTEXTUAL

Medical professionals must approach an anorexic patient with extreme care to avoid triggering a refusal to eat.

COMPLEX

The documentary follows the recovery journey of an anorexic individual, highlighting the psychological and physiological challenges involved in restoring a healthy relationship with food.

Origin

From anorexia + -ic.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Related words

Last updated May 30, 2026