dyspeptic

English

WOTD – 5 February 2008

Etymology

First attested in 1694. From Ancient Greek δύσπεπτος (dúspeptos, “difficult to digest”), from δυσ- (dus-, “bad”) +‎ πέπτω (péptō, “I digest”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /dɪsˈpɛp.tɪk/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛptɪk

Adjective

dyspeptic (comparative more dyspeptic, superlative most dyspeptic)

1. (pathology, not comparable) Of, relating to, or having dyspepsia or indigestion.
   • 1842, Letitia Elizabeth Landon, Lady Anne Granard, volume 1, pages 272-273:

     ...but Lady Anne could not be deceived—in five years' time he would become dyspeptic, be surrounded by physicians, consigned to all the Badens in Germany, and think much more of a renovating draught than a beautiful young wife.

2. (figuratively, comparable) Irritable or morose.

   Synonyms: bad-tempered, bilious, irritable, morose

   • 2004, Alan Hollinghurst, The Line of Beauty […], 1st US edition, New York, N.Y.: Bloomsbury Publishing, →ISBN:

     Sir Maurice made a rough, dyspeptic sound, as if chewing a mint.

Translations

of, relating to, or having dyspepsia

• Dutch: misselijkmakend (nl)
• French: nauséabond (fr)
• German: dyspeptisch (de), magenkrank
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Greek: δυσπεπτικός (el) (dyspeptikós)
• Polish: dyspeptyczny (pl) m, niestrawny (pl) m
• Portuguese: dispéptico

irritable or morose

• Dutch: gemelijk (nl), prikkelbaar (nl), moroos
• French: irritable (fr), morose (fr)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• German: missgestimmt, verdrießlich (de)
• Polish: nieznośny (pl) m

Noun

dyspeptic (plural dyspeptics)

1. A dyspeptic person.

Related terms

• dyspepsia
• dyspeptically
• peptic

Translations

A dyspeptic person

• Polish: dyspeptyk m, cierpiący na niestrawność
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}