anorexia nervosa

American  

[an-uh-rek-see-uh nur-voh-suh] / ˌæn əˈrɛk si ə nɜrˈvoʊ sə /

noun

Psychiatry.

1. an eating disorder primarily affecting adolescent girls and young women, characterized by pathological fear of becoming fat, distorted body image, excessive dieting, and emaciation.

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anorexia nervosa Scientific  

/ nûr-vō′sə /

1. An eating disorder characterized by a distorted body image, fear of becoming obese, persistent aversion to food, and severe weight loss and malnutrition. It most commonly affects teenage girls and young women, who often develop amenorrhea, osteoporosis and other abnormalities.

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anorexia nervosa Cultural  

1. A psychosomatic disorder in which the sufferer refuses to eat and undertakes activities (such as self-induced vomiting) to bring about extreme weight loss. Anorexia, which is also characterized by a distorted self-image, occurs most often in young women aged twelve to twenty-one and may result in death if medical treatment is not obtained. Treatment for anorexia often includes extensive counseling to reveal underlying emotional problems.

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Etymology

Origin of anorexia nervosa

First recorded in 1870–75; from New Latin: “nervous anorexia”

Compare meaning

How does anorexia-nervosa compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• anorexia vs. anorexia nervosa

Example Sentences

Clinical studies involving stroke, anorexia nervosa, and body integrity dysphoria suggest that problems with thermal perception can occur alongside disruptions in body ownership.

From Science Daily

Three years ago, the organization’s then-chief legal advocacy officer—recently promoted to CEO—promised that Colorado’s legislation “does not and was never intended to apply to a person whose only diagnosis is anorexia nervosa.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Food noise is also common in bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa.

From Science Daily

He was also the first designer to ban underweight models from the runway, after the death of model Ana Carolina Reston in 2006 from anorexia nervosa.

From BBC

After plucking up the courage to seek help, I was eventually diagnosed with anorexia nervosa with binging tendencies.

From BBC