anorexia

American  

[an-uh-rek-see-uh] / ˌæn əˈrɛk si ə /

noun

1. Psychiatry. anorexia nervosa.

2. loss of appetite and inability to eat.

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anorexia British  

/ ˌænɒˈrɛksɪə /

noun

1. loss of appetite

2. Also called: anorexia nervosa.  a disorder characterized by fear of becoming fat and refusal of food, leading to debility and even death

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anorexia Scientific  

/ ăn′ə-rĕk′sē-ə /

1. Loss of appetite, especially as a result of disease.

2. Anorexia nervosa.

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anorexia Cultural  

1. A short name for anorexia nervosa.

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Other Word Forms

• anorectic adjective

Etymology

Origin of anorexia

First recorded in 1590–1600; from New Latin, from Greek, from an- an- ¹ + órex(is) “appetite, desire, longing” (from orég(ein) “to reach, stretch” + -sis -sis ) + -ia -ia

Compare meaning

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

• anorexia vs. anorexia nervosa
• bulimia vs. anorexia
• anorexia vs. obesity

Example Sentences

Passages about Lord Byron’s anorexia and the invention of the first electric battery will enrapture a reader.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 6, 2026

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

From Science Daily • Dec. 8, 2025

Clinicians continue to debate how best to define it, as orthorexia can share features of anorexia nervosa and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

From Slate • May 25, 2025

Classed as an eating disorder and serious mental health condition by the NHS, anorexia is often associated with young women - not former professional sportsmen in their 30s.

From BBC • May 13, 2025

When an animal began showing signs of anorexia, its condition deteriorated rapidly.

From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston