noun

heartburn

HAHT-burn

noun

A burning sensation in the chest caused by stomach acid rising into the throat.

"Spicy food always gives him terrible heartburn."

"She took an antacid to ease the heartburn after dinner."

Informal: annoyance, worry, or resentment.

"The new policy has caused a lot of heartburn among staff."

How to Use Heartburn

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA burning feeling in the chest after eating, or (informally) irritation and stress.

Common mistake

Heartburn is not related to the heart medically — it's a digestive issue caused by acid reflux.

Common pairings

suffer from heartburn cause heartburn chronic heartburn

heartburns plural

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Spicy food always gives him terrible _____.

From Middle English words for "heart" and "burn" — the sensation sits near where the heart is, even though it's actually caused by stomach acid.