orexis

American

[aw-rek-sis, oh-rek-] / ɔˈrɛk sɪs, oʊˈrɛk- /

noun

Psychology.

the affective and conative character of mental activity as contrasted with its cognitive aspect; the appetitive aspect of an act.

Other Word Forms

orectic adjective

Etymology

Origin of orexis

1610–20; < Latin: longing, appetite < Greek órexis desire, equivalent to orég(ein) to desire + -sis -sis

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.

Dr. Bratman, author of "Health Food Junkies," derived "orthorexia" from the Greek word "ortho" which means "right" or "correct" and "orexis" meaning "appetite" or "hunger."

From Seattle Times

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