dyspepsia

noun

dys·​pep·​sia dis-ˈpep-shə 

-sē-ə

1

: indigestion

2

: ill humor : disgruntlement

dyspeptic

dis-ˈpep-tik 

adjective or noun

dyspeptically

dis-ˈpep-ti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Did you know?

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."

Examples of dyspepsia in a Sentence

He is suffering from dyspepsia.

Recent Examples on the Web

Various parts of the plant have been used in traditional medicine systems such as Ayurveda to treat conditions including headaches, colic, dropsy, rheumatism, nervous agitation, constipation, dyspepsia, and infections of the eye and throat. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Oct. 2026

Spoiled food meant dyspepsia – otherwise known as indigestion – and loose bowels. — Katherine Ott, The Conversation, 2 July 2026

Consider my dyspepsia and neuralgia cured! — Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 29 May 2026

Oral iron may cause side effects such as constipation, diarrhea, dyspepsia, and nausea, particularly in people with gastric problems and pregnant people. — Ayesha Gulzar, Verywell Health, 12 May 2026

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

First Known Use

circa 1706, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Kids Definition

dyspepsia

noun

dys·​pep·​sia dis-ˈpep-shə 

-sē-ə

: indigestion

Medical Definition

dyspepsia

noun

dys·​pep·​sia dis-ˈpep-shə  -sē-ə 

: indigestion

Dyspepsia occasionally resolves itself without any need for medical intervention.

—Patricia Hittner, Better Homes and Gardens