noun
colic
KOL-ihk
noun
1
Severe, cramping pain in the abdomen, often linked to the digestive system.
"The horse was doubled over with colic and needed a vet urgently."
2
Frequent, prolonged crying in an otherwise healthy baby, usually with no clear medical cause.
"Their newborn had colic and cried for hours every evening."
How to Use Colic
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishPainful stomach cramping — in babies, it means unexplained bouts of crying.
Common pairings
infant colic
a bout of colic
Word Forms
colics plural
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Etymology
From French colique, ultimately from Greek kolikos, "suffering in the colon".