Standard Lemma guide

bellyache

noun · verb · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈbɛliˌeɪk/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: B EH1 L IY0 EY2 K Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Any pain in the belly, stomach, or abdomen.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Eating too much candy can give you a bellyache.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To unnecessarily complain or whine, often about simple matters.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively, informal, intransitive

Examples

  • Quit bellyaching about the problem and help us fix it.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

an ache localized in the stomach or abdominal region

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: stomachache, stomach ache, gastralgia

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: ache, aching

4

verb

Meaning 4

complain

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • What was he hollering about?

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: gripe, bitch, grouse, crab, beef, squawk, holler

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: complain, kick, plain, sound off, quetch, kvetch

History

Etymology

From belly + ache.

Across languages

Translations

47 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Armenian: փորացավ (pʻoracʻav) — pain in the belly, stomach, or abdomen
  • Bulgarian: ко́лики (kóliki) — pain in the belly, stomach, or abdomen
  • Czech: bolest břicha — pain in the belly, stomach, or abdomen
  • Danish: mavepine — pain in the belly, stomach, or abdomen
  • Dutch: buikpijn — pain in the belly, stomach, or abdomen
  • Esperanto: ventrodoloro — pain in the belly, stomach, or abdomen
  • Finnish: vatsakipu — pain in the belly, stomach, or abdomen
  • Finnish: mahakipu — pain in the belly, stomach, or abdomen
  • French: mal au ventre — pain in the belly, stomach, or abdomen
  • Galician: dor de barriga — pain in the belly, stomach, or abdomen
  • German: Bauchschmerzen — pain in the belly, stomach, or abdomen
  • German: Bauchweh — pain in the belly, stomach, or abdomen
  • Greek: στομαχόπονος (stomachóponos) — pain in the belly, stomach, or abdomen
  • Greek: πονόκοιλος (ponókoilos) — pain in the belly, stomach, or abdomen
  • Hungarian: hasfájás — pain in the belly, stomach, or abdomen
  • Hunsrik: Panzweh — pain in the belly, stomach, or abdomen
  • Italian: mal di pancia — pain in the belly, stomach, or abdomen
  • Central Kurdish: سکێشە (sikêşe) — pain in the belly, stomach, or abdomen
  • Macedonian: сто́мачна бо́лка (stómačna bólka) — pain in the belly, stomach, or abdomen
  • Macedonian: ко́лики (kóliki) — pain in the belly, stomach, or abdomen
  • Māori: ngaupuku — pain in the belly, stomach, or abdomen
  • Portuguese: dor de barriga — pain in the belly, stomach, or abdomen
  • Russian: бо́ль в животе́ (bólʹ v životé) — pain in the belly, stomach, or abdomen
  • Russian: ко́лики (kóliki) — pain in the belly, stomach, or abdomen
  • Spanish: dolor de barriga — pain in the belly, stomach, or abdomen
  • Swedish: magont — pain in the belly, stomach, or abdomen
  • Volapük: bälidadol — pain in the belly, stomach, or abdomen
  • Volapük: stomägadol — pain in the belly, stomach, or abdomen
  • Bulgarian: мрънкам (mrǎnkam) — To complain or whine, especially needlessly
  • Bulgarian: оплаквам се (oplakvam se) — To complain or whine, especially needlessly
  • Dutch: zeuren — To complain or whine, especially needlessly
  • Dutch: flauw doen — To complain or whine, especially needlessly
  • Galician: mexericar — To complain or whine, especially needlessly
  • Galician: choromicar — To complain or whine, especially needlessly
  • Galician: choricar — To complain or whine, especially needlessly
  • Galician: nifrar — To complain or whine, especially needlessly
  • German: herumstänkern — To complain or whine, especially needlessly
  • German: motzen — To complain or whine, especially needlessly
  • Hungarian: nyavalyog — To complain or whine, especially needlessly
  • Macedonian: ку́ка (kúka) — To complain or whine, especially needlessly
  • Macedonian: се жа́ли (se žáli) — To complain or whine, especially needlessly
  • Māori: komekome — To complain or whine, especially needlessly
  • Norwegian Bokmål: jamre seg — To complain or whine, especially needlessly
  • Norwegian Bokmål: sutre — To complain or whine, especially needlessly
  • Russian: ныть (nytʹ) — To complain or whine, especially needlessly
  • Russian: скулить (skulitʹ) — To complain or whine, especially needlessly
  • Spanish: renegar — To complain or whine, especially needlessly