# bulimia

/bjuˈɫɪmiə/ (US) · /bjʊlˈɪmiə/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/bulimia
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. eating disorder

noun · CEFR B2 · Technical

a serious mental health condition where you eat a large amount of food and then force yourself to be sick to avoid gaining weight.

For teachers: a psychiatric eating disorder characterized by episodes of binge eating followed by purging, typically through self-induced vomiting or laxative use.

- She sought professional help to recover from her struggle with bulimia.
- The clinical diagnosis of bulimia nervosa requires a pattern of recurrent binge eating and inappropriate compensatory behaviors occurring at least once a week.

Usage: Often used in the full medical form 'bulimia nervosa' in formal contexts.

### 2. excessive hunger

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Technical

an old-fashioned word for feeling extremely hungry all the time.

For teachers: an abnormal or excessive hunger; the literal etymological sense before the term was restricted to the specific eating disorder.

- The old medical book described his constant craving for food as a form of bulimia.
- In nineteenth-century medical literature, the term bulimia was occasionally used to describe any instance of morbidly increased appetite regardless of purging.

Teaching tip: This sense is obsolete in modern general English; learners will almost exclusively encounter the word in the context of the eating disorder.

## Examples

- She is receiving professional help to manage her bulimia.
- The doctor explained that bulimia is not just about food but often involves deep emotional issues that need therapy.
- While anorexia is more widely recognised, bulimia remains a significant public health concern because its symptoms are often hidden and the physical consequences, such as electrolyte imbalances, can be life-threatening.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.