stomachache

stomachache — noun

1. an uncomfortable feeling of pain in your stomach or the area around it, often ca

1.nounA2
Definition

an uncomfortable feeling of pain in your stomach or the area around it, often caused by eating too much, eating food that is spoiled or too rich, or feeling nervous or anxious

Example

The little boy woke up crying because he had a bad stomachache.

collocation: have a stomachache

My grandmother made some ginger tea to help with my stomachache.

Common collocations
  • have a stomachache
  • get a stomachache
  • complain of a stomachache
  • bad / terrible / mild stomachache
  • stomachache goes away
Synonyms
  • bellyache

    more informal; often used by children or in casual talk

  • tummy ache

    childish or very informal; very common with young children

  • abdominal pain

    formal medical term; used by doctors and in hospital settings

Grammar Patterns

have (a) stomachache

Usage Note

Stomachache is used mainly in everyday conversation rather than formal writing. In medical settings, doctors are more likely to say 'abdominal pain' or 'stomach pain.' Although the word is classified as uncountable, it is very common in everyday speech to put 'a' in front of it ('I have a stomachache').

Common Mistakes

I have a stomach flu' (when you mean stomach pain).
I have a stomachache.
'stomach flu' refers to an illness with vomiting and diarrhea, not just pain.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Stomachache is the most common everyday word for pain in the stomach area, used by both adults and children. Bellyache is more informal and is frequently used with or by children — an adult might say 'I have a bellyache' at home but would not use it in a doctor's office. Stomach pain is a neutral alternative that avoids the slightly childish tone of stomachache; it works in both casual and semi-formal contexts ('I have some stomach pain'). Abdominal pain is the formal medical term and is used by healthcare professionals in clinical notes, diagnoses, and patient interviews. In a hospital setting, saying 'I have abdominal pain' sounds more precise and serious than saying 'I have a stomachache.'

bellyache ↗stomach painabdominal pain

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • a touch of stomachache
  • stomachache and nausea

Etymology

GreekLatinFrenchEnglish

Stomachache is a compound word formed in English from 'stomach' (from Old French 'estomac' via Latin 'stomachus', originally from Greek 'stomachos' meaning 'throat' or 'gullet', later 'stomach') and 'ache' (from Old English 'acan' meaning 'to ache or hurt'). The compound has been used in English since the 1700s.