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

One study found that ginger supplements can improve symptoms of functional dyspepsia, a common gastrointestinal disorder characterized by chronic indigestion.6 3. —Julie Marks, Verywell Health, 2 July 2025

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