Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A person affected with hypochondria.
  • adjective Relating to or affected with hypochondria.
  • adjective Anatomy Relating to or located in the hypochondrium.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • In anat: Situated below the cartilages of the ribs—that is, under the “shortribs”: specifically applied in human anatomy to the region of either hypochondrium. See third cut under abdominal.
  • Same as hypochondria!.
  • In entomology, of or pertaining to the hypochondria, or basal ventral plates of the abdomen: as, the hypochondriac segment.
  • In pathology, suffering from hypochondria; morbidly anxious about one's health, and affected with general depression of spirits; also, characteristic of or produced by hypochondria.
  • noun A person affected with hypochondria; one who is morbidly anxious about his health, and generally depressed.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun A person affected with hypochondria.
  • adjective Of or pertaining to hypochondria, or the hypochondriac regions.
  • adjective Affected, characterized, or produced, by hypochondriasis.
  • adjective (Anat.) a region on either side of the abdomen beneath the cartilages of the false ribs, beside the epigastric, and above the lumbar, region.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Related to, or affected by hypochondria
  • adjective Related to, or located in the hypochondrium.
  • noun A person affected with hypochondria.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a patient with imaginary symptoms and ailments
  • adjective suffering from hypochondria

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Ancient Greek ὑποχονδριακός (hupochondriakos, "of the region between the ribs and navel"), from ὑποχόνδριος (hupochondrios, "the space between the ribs and the navel"), from ὑπό (hupo, "below") + χόνδρος (chondros, "cartilage")

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Examples

  • Even the worst hypochondriac is limited (by time if nothing) in how many healthcare dollars he can suck up.

    Matthew Yglesias » Impractical! 2007

  • And David in Denton, Texas: "I made fun of all of those I referred to as hypochondriac, you know, always in for checkups.

    CNN Transcript Mar 7, 2006 2006

  • Note to self: watching House MD cultivates my inner hypochondriac, which is very bad for my sanity.

    House MD nathreee 2007

  • I'm still labelled a hypochondriac, a lier, someone who's making things up.

    BlogHer - Comments jhanson555 2009

  • Here, I'm viewed as a typical white person who can't handle pain. * sigh* I've been called a hypochondriac pretty much my entire life by pretty much the entire medical community.

    BlogHer - Comments jhanson555 2009

  • I am a recovered hypochondriac, meaning that medical stoicism has become a matter of honor for me.

    Oh, snap! Crackle and pop Gene Weingarten 2010

  • And if you get a history of going in and mentioning things that have not really been a problem very long, if you're not very lucky, you get a doctor who writes down "hypochondriac" or "drug-seeking," and then when it's still a problem later, you've got that to deal with.

    mrissa: Hollywood broken leg theory mrissa 2010

  • And if you get a history of going in and mentioning things that have not really been a problem very long, if you're not very lucky, you get a doctor who writes down "hypochondriac" or "drug-seeking," and then when it's still a problem later, you've got that to deal with.

    Barnstorming on an Invisible Segway timprov 2010

  • I would like to point out that my own hip problems of a while ago have gone away, lest anyone believe this is some kind of hypochondriac blog.

    Another week’s worth of search junk « We Don't Count Your Own Visits To Your Blog 2006

  • In the company of these eminent Victorians, the feeble Spencer presides as a kind of hypochondriac in chief.

    The L Word 1826

Comments

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  • Is there such a thing as a hyperchondriac?

    September 21, 2007

  • That'd be thinking you're fine when you're really sick? Isn't that most guys? I certainly avoid the doctor if possible

    September 21, 2007