Stomach Definition & Meaning

American

British

Idioms

Etymology

Examples

Related Words

Synonyms 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.

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

1. to tolerate; bear

   I can't stomach his bragging

2. to eat or digest

   he cannot stomach oysters

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 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.

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

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.

A stomach bug that caused him to lose a considerable amount of weight put Betts behind last spring, and he never quite caught up.

From Los Angeles Times

Ben Turner said the public has accepted "various different costs for a long time" and this is another rise "you have to stomach".

From BBC

I flopped onto my stomach and looked at the submission again, scouring it for more information, but it was anonymous, with no clues as to who’d sent it.

From Literature

I swallowed hard and ignored the fact that the thought made my stomach feel like I’d swallowed a bucket of live snakes.

From Literature

She’s witnessed students have emotional outbursts, break into tears, hide under their hoodies and push cafeteria food around on their plates because they’ve lost their appetites, unable to stomach the chaos in their communities.

From Salon

Related Words

• abdomen
• belly
• gut
• tummy

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.