bryne

water saturated with salt

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A clean medical side cutaway of upper torso showing acid rising from stomach into esophagus, small warm red glow at lower chest, no flames or heart damage.

noun

heartburn

HART-bern/ˈhɑːrtbɜːrn/

Burning chest discomfort caused by stomach acid rising upward.

Etymology

heartOld Englishheart

+burnOld Englishburning

The pieces associate burning with the heart, but the digestive meaning reflects a historical confusion between the heart and nearby digestive organs. This explains why a symptom caused by stomach acid carries the heart's name.

Full entry

Related word entries

brine
heartburn