borborygmus
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/ˌbɔːrbəˈrɪɡməs/
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An intestinal rumble caused by moving gas and fluid, with a rarer figurative use for a low, uneasy disturbance.
Examples
The nurse recorded frequent borborygmi in the chart.
The novel turns the city's noise into a civic borborygmus.
The metaphor works because borborygmus keeps its bodily echo.
A loud borborygmus came from the patient's abdomen.
The pipes answered with a faint borborygmus in the walls.
Similar words
intestinal rumble
drone
gurgle
stomach rumble
muttering
growl
murmur
rumble
gut noise
bowel sound
Meanings
Examples
The doctor listened for borborygmus during the abdominal exam.
After the long fast, his borborygmus was hard to ignore.
A loud borborygmus came from the patient's abdomen.
Mild borborygmus after a meal is usually normal.
The nurse recorded frequent borborygmi in the chart.
Similar words
stomach rumble
bowel sound
intestinal rumble
gut noise
gurgle
Examples
The pipes answered with a faint borborygmus in the walls.
A political borborygmus spread through the capital.
The old radiator gave a sleepy borborygmus before dawn.
The novel turns the city's noise into a civic borborygmus.
The metaphor works because borborygmus keeps its bodily echo.
Similar words
rumble
murmur
drone
growl
muttering
Etymology
From New Latin borborygmus, from Ancient Greek borborygmos, an imitative word for rumbling in the bowels.
FAQ
What does borborygmus mean?
Borborygmus means a rumbling, growling, or gurgling sound made by movement in the intestines.
What is the plural of borborygmus?
The traditional plural is borborygmi.
Is borborygmus a medical term?
Yes. It is used in medical contexts for bowel sounds, though it also appears in precise general writing.
Is borborygmus the same as flatulence?
No. Flatulence is gas being passed, while borborygmus is the sound of gas and fluid moving inside.
Can borborygmus be figurative?
Yes, but only rarely, for a low rumble or disturbance that deliberately suggests digestive noise.
How is borborygmus pronounced?
A common pronunciation is /ˌbɔːrbəˈrɪɡməs/.
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