stomach

American  

[stuhm-uhk] / ˈstʌm ək /

noun

1. Anatomy, Zoology.

   1. a saclike enlargement of the alimentary canal, as in humans and certain animals, forming an organ for storing, diluting, and digesting food.

   2. such an organ or an analogous portion of the alimentary canal when divided into two or more sections or parts.

   3. any one of these sections.

2. Zoology. any analogous digestive cavity or tract in invertebrates.

3. the part of the body containing the stomach; belly or abdomen.

4. appetite for food.

5. desire, inclination, or liking.

   I have no stomach for this trip.

6. Obsolete.

   1. spirit; courage.

   2. pride; haughtiness.

   3. resentment; anger.

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verb (used with object)

1. to endure or tolerate (someone or something).

   I can't stomach your constant nagging.

   Synonyms:

   countenance, abide, stand, bear

2. Obsolete. to be offended at or resent.

stomach British  

/ ˈstʌmək /

noun

1. (in vertebrates) the enlarged muscular saclike part of the alimentary canal in which food is stored until it has been partially digested and rendered into chyme

2. the corresponding digestive organ in invertebrates

3. the abdominal region

4. desire, appetite, or inclination

   I have no stomach for arguments

5. an archaic word for temper

6. an obsolete word for pride

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verb

1. to tolerate; bear

   I can't stomach his bragging

2. to eat or digest

   he cannot stomach oysters

stomach Idioms  

1. see butterflies in one's stomach; can't stand (stomach) the sight of; eyes are bigger than one's stomach; no stomach for; sick to one's stomach; turn one's stomach.

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Etymology

Origin of stomach

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English stomak, from Latin stomachus “gullet, stomach,” from Greek stómachos originally, “opening”; akin to stoma

Explanation

The stomach is the organ of your body — kind of a big sac — that digests food. We also say people have a stomach for something unpleasant when they can handle it. Without a stomach, you'd be in trouble: that's where your food gets digested and turned into useful material your body can use for energy. If you ever got punched in the stomach or had a stomach ache, it can hurt a lot. Also, stomach can mean having a hunger, or at least tolerance, for something. If you can't stomach watching football, then you can't stand watching it. If you have a stomach for something, you can swallow it.

Example Sentences

"Diego said that his mother would pretend her stomach hurt so he could eat," he said.

From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026

That feeling can present in many ways — rumination, a knot in your throat or your chest, an unease in your stomach, the tensing of muscles.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

According to Buzalaf, one direction is to combine CANECPI-5 with a peptide derived from statherin, a protein found in saliva, to determine whether this hybrid could better protect teeth from acids originating in the stomach.

From Science Daily • Apr. 5, 2026

If, say, you’ve had a stomach ulcer, the bot would recommend a painkiller that’s easy on the gut.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026

I couldn’t remember what it was, but in the morning I awoke suddenly, my heart pounding and a sharp pain in my stomach.

From "Nory Ryan’s Song" by Patricia Reilly Giff

Related Words

• abdomen
• belly
• gut
• tummy