aerophagia

9.9

A condition in which a person swallows air repeatedly, causing burping, bloating and stomach pain

noun
/ˌɛəroʊˈfeɪdʒə/

Specialized

: aerofagia

Many people experience aerophagia when they eat too quickly.

Examples

He suffers from aerophagia after every meal.
Treatment for aerophagia often focuses on changes in eating and breathing patterns.
After eating too quickly, she experienced aerophagia and felt bloated for hours.
Some patients with anxiety may develop aerophagia as a nervous habit.
After eating too quickly, she experienced aerophagia and felt bloated for hours.
Some patients with anxiety may develop aerophagia as a nervous habit.
Treatment for aerophagia often focuses on changes in eating and breathing patterns.

Surface Forms

aerophagia singular

aerophagias plural

Morphology

aerophagia = aero + phagia (opaque) = aero + phagia

The term is built from Greek medical combining forms that are not familiar productive morphemes for average B1 learners, so the meaning is not easily derived.

Etymology

Aerophagia comes from the Greek parts aero- 'air' and -phagia 'eating', so it literally means 'air eating'. That's why aerophagia describes when a person swallows air again and again, causing burping and stomach discomfort.