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anorexia

/ˈænəˌrɛksiə/
/ænəʊˈrɛksiə/
IPA guide

Anorexia is a serious medical disorder in which someone has no appetite, and so doesn't eat. If someone you know becomes so thin that it alarms you, they might have anorexia.

Anorexia means "no appetite" in Greek. The full name of the medical disorder is anorexia nervosa, a very serious problem that causes people to starve themselves as the result of an emotional disturbance rather than a problem with food or digestion, or simply not being hungry.

Definitions of anorexia
  1. noun
    a prolonged disorder of eating due to loss of appetite
    see moresee less
    types:
    anorexia nervosa
    (psychiatry) a psychological disorder characterized by somatic delusions that one is too fat despite being emaciated
    type of:
    eating disorder
    a disorder of the normal eating routine
Pronunciation
US
/ˈænəˌrɛksiə/
UK
/ænəʊˈrɛksiə/
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