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Glite Dictionary
epigastrium

epigastrium

1 9.9
The upper middle part of the belly just below the breastbone
  • noun
  • /ˌɛpɪˈɡæstrɪəm/
  • Specialized
translation icon : epigastrio
  • The most common ulcer symptom is gnawing or burning pain in the epigastrium.

Examples

  • Mundify the epigastrium again once more.

  • The most common ulcer symptom is gnawing or burning pain in the epigastrium.

  • The pain of a textbook heart attack occurs in the lower middle chest, but plenty of attacks hurt a few inches lower in the epigastrium.

  • Ulcers do cause burning pain in the epigastrium that’s often relieved by food and antacids.

Synonyms

abdomen
vsepigastrium
107 3.0

The part of the body between the chest and hips that contains the stomach and intestines

is the upper central part just below the sternum, not the whole area
epigastric fossa
vsepigastrium
  • Specialized
9.9

A small dip in the upper middle of the belly just below the breastbone

is a broader upper central abdominal area rather than a surface depression

Surface Forms

epigastrium singular
epigastria plural

Morphology

epigastrium = epigastric (opaque) = epi + gastr + ium

Formed from medical combining forms ('epi-' + 'gastr-') with a Latin noun ending; these combining forms are technical and not transparent to an average B1 learner, so the anatomical meaning is not directly inferable from the parts.

Etymology

Epigastrium comes from the Greek parts epi- ('on' or 'upon') and gaster ('stomach'), so it literally means the area 'on the stomach'. That's why epigastrium refers to the upper middle part of the belly just below the chest.