bulimia

American  

[byoo-lim-ee-uh, -lee-mee-uh, boo-, buh-] / byuˈlɪm i ə, -ˈli mi ə, bu-, bə- /

Sometimes boulimia

noun

1. Also called binge-purge syndrome.  Also called bulimia nervosa.  Psychiatry. a habitual disturbance in eating behavior mostly affecting young women of normal weight, characterized by frequent episodes of grossly excessive food intake followed by self-induced vomiting to avert weight gain.

2. Also called hyperphagia.  Pathology. abnormally voracious appetite or unnaturally constant hunger.

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bulimia British  

/ bjuːˈlɪmɪə /

noun

1. pathologically insatiable hunger, esp when caused by a brain lesion

2. Also called: bulimia nervosa.  a disorder characterized by compulsive overeating followed by vomiting: sometimes associated with anxiety about gaining weight

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bulimia Scientific  

/ bo̅o̅-lē′mē-ə /

1. An eating disorder characterized by uncontrolled rapid ingestion of large quantities of food over a short period of time, followed by self-induced vomiting, fasting, and other measures to prevent weight gain. It is most common among young women and teenage girls.

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bulimia Cultural  

1. An eating disorder that is characterized by episodic binge eating followed by feelings of guilt or depression and sometimes self-induced vomiting.

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Other Word Forms

• bulimic noun

Etymology

Origin of bulimia

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from New Latin, from Greek boulīmía “extreme hunger,” equivalent to bou- intensive prefix (derivative of bou-, stem of boûs ox ) + līm(ós) “hunger” + -ia -ia

Compare meaning

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

• bulimia vs. anorexia

Example Sentences

“He’s like, ‘I’m going to play a woman who’s struggling with bulimia.’

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026

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

From Science Daily • Dec. 8, 2025

Whaite explained he has bulimia, an eating disorder, and body dysmorphia, where a person perceives defects in their own body which are often less noticeable to others.

From BBC • Nov. 17, 2025

Eating disorders, such as anorexia, bulimia, binge-eating disorder, and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder are serious mental health conditions that affect approximately one million Canadians.

From Salon • Apr. 1, 2024

Hence they marched through snow the whole of the following day, and many of the men contracted the bulimia.

From The Best of the World's Classics, Restricted to prose. Volume I (of X) - Greece by Halsey, Francis W. (Francis Whiting)

Related Words

• hunger
• starvation