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

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

But Young Thug’s dazzling dyspepsia is an argument for the opposite — a contention that some styles have reached their natural end, and that only an alien can see a way beyond. —New York Times, 28 Apr. 2026

These effects can help relieve symptoms such as distention, bloating, pain, and nausea, which are often associated with slow gastric emptying and a condition known as functional dyspepsia (chronic indigestion). —Lauren O'Connor, Ms, Health, 16 Sep. 2024

The result is a condition like irritable bowel syndrome or functional dyspepsia (a.k.a. indigestion), both of which can involve unpredictable spasms of your intestines, generating gas, bloating, and yes, airier poops, Dr. Schnoll-Sussbaum says. —Erica Sloan, SELF, 29 July 2024

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