English Reference
noun

nausea

n.
US /ˈnɔziə/ UK /nˈɔːsɪɐ/ nau·sea UK spelling nauseas

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate Medicine

    the feeling in your stomach that makes you want to vomit.

    a sensation of digestive discomfort characterized by an urge to vomit. Often uncountable when referring to the general state.

    Simple

    The long, winding road gave her a terrible feeling of nausea.

    In context

    The patient reported persistent nausea and dizziness following the administration of the new medication, though no actual vomiting occurred.

    sicknessqueasinessbiliousness
  2. 02 C1 Advanced Literary

    a strong feeling of dislike or being grossed out by something.

    a feeling of intense revulsion or loathing toward a person, idea, or situation.

    Simple

    He felt a wave of nausea at the thought of the cruel crime.

    In context

    The blatant corruption within the local government filled the citizens with a sense of moral nausea.

For some people, eating a dairy treat can lead to bloating, nausea and diarrhea .

The Conversation· 25 Aug 2026

You may also get a mild fever, nausea, headache or muscle aches but these symptoms should disappear after one or two days.

BBC News· 3 Aug 2026

From Middle English nausea, a borrowing from Latin nausea, from Ancient Greek ναυσία (nausía, “sea-sickness”), from ναῦς (naûs, “ship”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)neh₂-. Displaced native Old English wlǣtta.

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

This entry
Origin ine-pro *(s)neh₂-
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated