heartburn

American  

[hahrt-burn] / ˈhɑrtˌbɜrn /

noun

1. an uneasy burning sensation in the stomach, typically extending toward the esophagus, and sometimes associated with the eructation of an acid fluid.

2. bitter jealousy; envy.

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heartburn British  

/ ˈhɑːtˌbɜːn /

noun

1. Technical names: cardialgia.   pyrosis.  a burning sensation beneath the breastbone caused by irritation of the oesophagus, as from regurgitation of the contents of the stomach

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heartburn Scientific  

/ härt′bûrn′ /

1. A burning sensation, usually centered in the middle of the chest near the sternum, caused by the reflux of acidic stomach fluids that enter the lower end of the esophagus.

2. Also called acid reflux

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heartburn Cultural  

1. A burning sensation in the middle of the chest at the junction of the esophagus and stomach, caused by stomach acids that back up and enter the lower end of the esophagus.

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Etymology

Origin of heartburn

First recorded in 1590–1600; translation of Greek kardialgía; heart + burn ¹

Explanation

Heartburn is an uncomfortable form of indigestion that feels like a burning in your chest. You might experience heartburn after eating twelve slices of pizza for dinner. People with a tendency to get heartburn often start to feel a painful sensation after they eat. Heartburn can begin as an acidic feeling in your stomach that moves up into your upper chest. It happens when gastric acid is regurgitated into the esophagus, and it can also be called "acid indigestion." The original, thirteenth century meaning of heartburn was "lust," but by the fifteenth century it had come to have today's meaning of "indigestion."

Example Sentences

Streep, who appeared alongside O'Hara in the 1980s comedy Heartburn, described her death as "such a loss for her family and friends, and the audience she graced as friends".

From BBC • Jan. 31, 2026

I think of the now-iconic scene from Nora Ephron's "Heartburn" when Meryl Streep and Jack Nicholson's characters go to bed together.

From Salon • Jun. 21, 2023

A: Heartburn, an unpleasant burning sensation in the chest, affects 60 million Americans at least once a month.

From Washington Post • Feb. 27, 2023

Heartburn may also be a problem with bergamot extract.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 25, 2023

Heartburn is also due to overeating, and so is hiccough; both come from fermentation of food in the alimentary tract.

From Maintaining Health Formerly Health and Efficiency by Alsaker, R. L.

Related Words

• indigestion