indigestion
Americannoun
-
uncomfortable inability or difficulty in digesting food; dyspepsia.
-
an instance or case of indigestion.
noun
Etymology
Origin of indigestion
1400–50; late Middle English < Late Latin indīgestiōn- (stem of indīgestiō ). See in- 2, digestion
Explanation
Indigestion is what happens when your body has trouble digesting food and you get a stomach ache. Some indigestion can be avoided by chewing slowly and not eating a large pepperoni pizza for breakfast. If your stomach feels uncomfortable after a big meal, or you can't stop burping, it's probably indigestion. Some people know what food gives them indigestion, whether it's ice cream, fried foods, or hamburgers, and in many cases indigestion can be soothed with medicine or home remedies like ginger tea or peppermint. Indigestion adds the "not" prefix in- to digestion, which comes from the Latin root digestus, "digested thing."
Vocabulary lists containing indigestion
Charlotte's Web
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The Chocolate Touch
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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.
Related decided to issue bonds for the deal after seeing the indigestion in the construction-loan market.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 24, 2026
“The sell-off in software because of AI is more about indigestion as opposed to a total collapse in demand.”
From Barron's ● Apr. 23, 2026
This news isn’t simply something to give the typical worker indigestion on Thursday, but may be enough to make them think twice before wasting too much money on Black Friday as well.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 26, 2025
The NHS says stomach ulcers can cause a burning or gnawing pain in the abdomen as well as indigestion, heartburn, acid reflux and nausea.
From BBC ● Sep. 7, 2023
His favorite job was caring for Hannibal the elephant, but he’d managed to mess that up, too—giving Hannibal indigestion by feeding him peanuts.
From "The Son of Neptune" by Rick Riordan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
