colic

American  

[kol-ik] / ˈkɒl ɪk /

noun

1. Also called infantile colic.  Also called infant colic.  Pathology. a common, temporary condition in which a baby who is otherwise healthy cries repeatedly, excessively, and inconsolably, without apparent cause.

   To help create more awareness about colic, the doctors are writing a book for parents with fussy babies.

2. Pathology, Veterinary Pathology. paroxysmal pain in the abdomen or bowels.

   If a gallstone blocks one of the bile ducts, it can cause sudden, severe abdominal pain, known as biliary colic.

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adjective

Anatomy.

1. relating to or affecting the colon or the bowels.

   Colorectal cancer surgeons must have a good understanding of how colic arteries can differ among people.

colic British  

/ ˈkɒlɪk /

noun

1. a condition characterized by acute spasmodic abdominal pain, esp that caused by inflammation, distention, etc, of the gastrointestinal tract

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colic Scientific  

/ kŏl′ĭk /

1. Severe abdominal pain, often caused by spasm, obstruction, or distention of any of the hollow viscera, such as the intestines.

2. A condition seen in infants less than three months old, marked by periods of inconsolable crying lasting for hours at a time for at least three weeks. The cause is unknown.

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Other Word Forms

• colicky
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of colic

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English colike, from Middle French colique, Latin colica (passiō) “colonic (suffering),” from Greek kolikós “of the colon,” from kól(on) colon ² + -ikos -ic; cf. colonic ( def. )

Explanation

When babies have colic, they fuss a lot, as though they are in pain, but for no known reason. It's called colic because that's the word for stomach or intestinal pain, and that's what doctors used to assume it was. A baby is usually diagnosed with colic if they cry for more than three hours a day, three days a week, for three weeks or more. It usually starts when they're only a few weeks old, and fortunately, it usually resolves on its own by the time they reach three or four months old. In horses, on the other hand, colic is a very serious symptom that could be life-threatening due to intestinal twisting or blockage. In humans, colic is abdominal or intestinal pain, especially when caused by kidney stones or gall stones.

Example Sentences

Colic is intense and prolonged crying in an otherwise healthy infant, but the crying episodes typically resolve over time, without treatment, according to the Mayo Clinic.

From Washington Post • Sep. 15, 2022

Colic is one of the most common causes of death in horses.

From Washington Times • Dec. 3, 2015

Colic will sometimes follow the exposure of a horse to the cold air or a cold wind after strong exercise.

From Domestic Animals History and description of the horse, mule, cattle, sheep, swine, poultry and farm dogs; with directions for their management, breeding, crossing, rearing, feeding, and preparation for a profitable market; also their diseases and remedies. Together with full directions for the management of the dairy. by Allen, Richard L.

Colic, as we all know, is frequently caused by fermentation of the food in the stomach and bowels, and castor oil is one of the best known cathartics in a case of this kind.

From Mother's Remedies Over One Thousand Tried and Tested Remedies from Mothers of the United States and Canada by Ritter, Thomas Jefferson

Colic was cured by pills of excrementitious materials, and by all sorts of other deterrent remedies.

From Psychotherapy by Walsh, James J. (James Joseph)