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adj

nauseous

NAW-zee-uhs

Nauseous (adj) means feeling like you are about to vomit; queasy. Example: “The turbulence made several passengers feel nauseous.”

adj
1
Feeling like you are about to vomit; queasy.
"The turbulence made several passengers feel nauseous."
"I felt nauseous after eating too much cake."
2
Causing nausea; sickening.
"The nauseous fumes from the factory drifted over the town."

How to use nauseous

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishFeeling sick to your stomach — in casual modern English, used the same way as "nauseated."

Common mistake

Traditionalists insist "nauseous" should only mean "causing nausea" and "nauseated" should mean "feeling sick," but "I feel nauseous" is now standard in everyday speech.

Easily confused with

Word forms

more nauseous comparative, most nauseous superlative

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The turbulence made several passengers feel _____.

Etymology

From Latin nauseosus, "causing nausea," from nausea plus the adjective ending -osus.

Origin: Latin

Related words

Rhymes for nauseous

See all rhymes for nauseous →

Frequently asked questions

What does “nauseous” mean?

The word “nauseous” means feeling like you are about to vomit; queasy. In plain terms, feeling sick to your stomach — in casual modern English, used the same way as "nauseated.".

How do you pronounce “nauseous”?

“Nauseous” is pronounced NAW-zee-uhs (/ˈnɔʃəs/ in IPA).

How do you use “nauseous” in a sentence?

Here is “nauseous” used in a sentence: “The turbulence made several passengers feel nauseous.”

What is another word for “nauseous”?

Words with a similar meaning to “nauseous” include nauseating.

What part of speech is “nauseous”?

“Nauseous” is an adjective.

Where does the word “nauseous” come from?

The word “nauseous” comes from Latin. From Latin nauseosus, "causing nausea," from nausea plus the adjective ending -osus.

How many meanings does “nauseous” have?

“Nauseous” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: feeling like you are about to vomit; queasy.

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Definitions: FreeDict original editorial