stomach

[ stuhm-uhk ]
See synonyms for stomach on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. Anatomy, Zoology.

    • a saclike enlargement of the alimentary canal, as in humans and certain animals, forming an organ for storing, diluting, and digesting food.

    • such an organ or an analogous portion of the alimentary canal when divided into two or more sections or parts.

    • any one of these sections.

  2. Zoology. any analogous digestive cavity or tract in invertebrates.

  1. the part of the body containing the stomach; belly or abdomen.

  2. appetite for food.

  3. desire, inclination, or liking: I have no stomach for this trip.

  4. Obsolete.

    • spirit; courage.

    • pride; haughtiness.

    • resentment; anger.

verb (used with object)
  1. to endure or tolerate (someone or something): I can't stomach your constant nagging.

  2. Obsolete. to be offended at or resent.

Origin of stomach

1
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English stomak, from Latin stomachus “gullet, stomach,” from Greek stómachos originally, “opening”; akin to stoma

Other words for stomach

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Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use stomach in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for stomach

stomach

/ (ˈstʌmək) /


noun
  1. (in vertebrates) the enlarged muscular saclike part of the alimentary canal in which food is stored until it has been partially digested and rendered into chyme: Related adjective: gastric

  2. the corresponding digestive organ in invertebrates

  1. the abdominal region

  2. desire, appetite, or inclination: I have no stomach for arguments

  3. an archaic word for temper

  4. an obsolete word for pride

verb(tr; used mainly in negative constructions)
  1. to tolerate; bear: I can't stomach his bragging

  2. to eat or digest: he cannot stomach oysters

Origin of stomach

1
C14: from Old French stomaque, from Latin stomachus (believed to be the seat of the emotions), from Greek stomakhos, from stoma mouth

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for stomach

stomach

[ stŭmək ]


  1. A saclike muscular organ in vertebrate animals that stores and breaks down ingested food. Food enters the stomach from the esophagus and passes to the small intestine through the pylorus. Glands in the stomach secrete hydrochloric acid and the digestive enzyme pepsin.

  2. A similar digestive structure of many invertebrates.

  1. Any of the four compartments into which the stomach of a ruminant is divided (the rumen, reticulum, omasum, or abomasum).

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Cultural definitions for stomach

stomach

An organ in the digestive system, on the left side of the body behind the lower rib cage, that receives chewed food from the esophagus. Tiny glands in the stomach's lining secrete gastric juice, which contains acids, mucus, and enzymes. This fluid, along with the muscular churning actions of the stomach, helps transform food into a thick, semifluid mass that can be passed into the small intestine for digestion.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Other Idioms and Phrases with stomach

stomach

see butterflies in one's stomach; can't stand (stomach) the sight of; eyes are bigger than one's stomach; no stomach for; sick to one's stomach; turn one's stomach.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.