eating disorder

American

noun

any of various disorders, as anorexia nervosa or bulimia, characterized by severe disturbances in eating habits.

eating disorder Scientific

/ ē′tĭng /

Any of several patterns of severely disturbed eating behavior, especially anorexia nervosa and bulimia, seen mainly in female teenagers and young women.

Etymology

Origin of eating disorder

First recorded in 1990–95

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.

She also testified that her older sister suffered from an eating disorder — details the defense sought to portray as the source of her body dysmorphia.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 27, 2026

Daniel Magson, CEO of Derby-based eating disorder charity First Steps ED, says Emma's experience reflects a trend it is increasingly alarmed by.

From BBC • Feb. 22, 2026

Amber Glenn recalls struggling with depression and an eating disorder early in her career.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 16, 2026

Early findings suggest it may also help with conditions related to impulse control, including binge eating disorder.

From Science Daily • Dec. 8, 2025

At the age of eleven, Khaleh Mandana began to display signs of an eating disorder, and doctors advised that she was better off living with her mother.

From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi

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