aphagia

American

[uh-fey-jee-uh] / əˈfeɪ dʒi ə /

noun

Pathology.

difficulty or pain in swallowing.

aphagia British

/ əˈfeɪdʒɪə /

noun

pathol refusal or inability to swallow

"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

Etymology

Origin of aphagia

First recorded in 1865–70; a- ⁶ + -phagia

Compare meaning

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

aphagia vs. aphasia

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

aphagia

Sensory paralysis of the esophagus by breaking the continuity of the reflex arc, may so impair the peristaltic movements as to produce aphagia.

From Bronchoscopy and Esophagoscopy A Manual of Peroral Endoscopy and Laryngeal Surgery by Jackson, Chevalier

A very small object may excite sufficient spasm to cause aphagia, while a relatively large foreign body may be tolerated, after a time, so that the swallowing function may seem normal.

From Bronchoscopy and Esophagoscopy A Manual of Peroral Endoscopy and Laryngeal Surgery by Jackson, Chevalier

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023