dyspeptic

English edit

WOTD – 5 February 2008

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

dyspeptic (comparative more dyspeptic, superlative most dyspeptic)

(pathology, not comparable) Of, relating to, or having dyspepsia or indigestion.
- 1838 (date written), L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “(please specify the page)”, in Lady Anne Granard; or, Keeping up Appearances. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], published 1842, →OCLC, 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.
(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.

of, relating to, or having dyspepsia

irritable or morose

dyspeptic (plural dyspeptics)

A dyspeptic person.
- 1951 February, Forrest H. Howard, “The Physiologic Position for Delivery”, in Northwest Medicine, volume 50, number 2, Portland, Ore.: Northwest Medical Publishing Association, page 98:
  Medical management of peptic ulcers is employed along with psychotherapy to greater advantage than the multitude of operations employed twenty years ago for the unfortunate dyspeptic.

A dyspeptic person